Hurricane Idalia destroys mansion as homes are completely cut off
Shocking drone footage shows the power of Hurricane Idalia as mansion at landfall site looks like a ripped up doll’s house and another is completely cut off from neighborhood – after 16ft storm surge that’s killed at least two
- Hurricane Idalia has left at least two dead as the storm heads northwest toward Savannah, Georgia
- Follow the latest updates on Hurricane Idalia with DailyMail.com’s live blog here
- HURRICANE IDALIA FORECAST: Category 1 storm barreling towards Georgia and the Carolinas
Shocking footage shows the devastation caused by apocalyptic Hurricane Idalia tearing through a Keaton Beach home and ripping off the roof – as water levels continue to rise.
The monster storm has been downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane as it moved inland to batter southern Georgia with 75mph winds and left a path of destruction in its wake.
Hurricane Idalia has so far claimed two lives after making landfall onto Florida’s Big Bend at Keaton Beach at 7.45am on Wednesday – and is barrelling its way towards North and South Carolina.
One property was left looking like a doll’s house with the walls partially ripped down with furniture surviving the worst of the winds.
A bed was secured in place while a television miraculously remained attached to the wall despite the battering by high winds.
Video also captured the moment a storm surge swept up to a window of a one-story property, as debris swept from the roof and trees were battered by the winds.
Officials say the ‘apocalyptic’ 16ft storm surge has caused catastrophic flooding, as water beaches homes across Steinhatchee with 110mph winds battering the state.
Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis posted online showing that a tree had fallen on the Governor’s mansion, adding that while they were home at the time of the incident, no one was injured.
KEATON BEACH: One property was left looking like a doll’s house with the walls partially ripped down with furniture surviving the worst of the winds
MAYO: Members of the National Guard prepare their equipment in Mayo, Florida, as they wait for orders on where to assist
ST PETERSBURG: People wade through flood waters after Hurricane Idalia passed to the north, with cars partially submerged
KEATON BEACH: Video also captured the moment a storm surge swept up to a window of a one-story property, as debris swept from the roof and trees were battered by the winds
KEATON BEACH: One property was almost entirely destroyed as the neighboring home stood intact at the landfall site
CEDAR KEYS: A cargo vehicle passes through Cedar Keys which was badly hit by storm surges and floodwater along the coast
MAYO: The remains of four old chicken houses, now used for storage, sit collapsed after the passage of Hurricane Idalia,on a private farm near
TALLAHASSEE: Casey DeSantis shared the shocking image of a 100-year-old oak tree that fell on the Florida’s governor’s mansion while she and the kids were at home
KEATON BEACH: A bed was secured in place while a television miraculously remained attached to the wall despite the battering by high winds
The hurricane stretched from Central Florida to southern Georgia, covering around 250 miles, as of Wednesday morning
KEATON BEACH: Cans of paint and insulation from the walls of a property were scattered all over the home in the wake of the havoc caused by the hurricane
KEATON BEACH: A family checks their belongings in the town of Jena after Hurricane Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach
At least two people have died in the hurricane so far, with Pasco County officials confirming one, 40, crashed his Ford Ranger while a second, 59, swerved into a ditch in Gainesville.
Crews are still searching for a passenger who toppled overboard of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas, on Tuesday, as it was passing off the coast of Cuba.
A curfew for Madison County in Florida, which borders Georgia, will go into effect starting at 8pm until 8am on Thursday.
Officials confirmed that more than 75 people have been rescued from the flood waters in St. Petersburg, as rescue efforts are still in place.
The hurricane stretched from Central Florida to southern Georgia, covering around 250 miles, as of Wednesday morning.
It’s the strongest storm to make landfall in the Big Bend region in 127 years, matching an unnamed hurricane in 1896.
The White House said President Joe Biden is receiving updates on the hurricanes path, along with regular briefings from his team. He spoke with DeSantis on Wednesday afternoon.
Deanne Criswell, the FEMA administrator, said: “The president reiterated that if anything is needed from the federal government.
‘We will be able to support. We have over 1,000 personnel currently deployed, prepared to support not just Florida but all of our states that are in the path as needed.”
Nearly 1,000 bridges in Florida will need to be inspected for storm damage, as well as several major roadways that cross the Steinhatchee River and the Swanee River on the Big Bend coast, according to authorities.
One man in Perry, Florida, told CNN: ‘I don’t know if I have a house to go back to. This right here, it’s horrible. We have never seen this before. Category one has scared us. Usually we ride it out. This right here is bad.’
HUDSON: In an aerial view, a home smolders after burning as Idalia continues to wreak havoc, with firefighters struggling to access properties
KEATON BEACH: Officials say the ‘apocalyptic’ 16ft storm surge has caused catastrophic flooding, as water beaches homes across Florida
KEATON BEACH: The eye of Hurricane Idalia came ashore around Keaton Beach and the winds in the front side of the eyewall caused damage
PERRY: One resident explained that he was ‘terrified’ he wouldn’t have a home to go back to after the storm
MARION COUNTY: Marion County EMT Jacob Knobbe, left carries a chain saw as Lt. Daniel Smith, center and Driver Engineer Matt Kimerling, right, clear out brush after responding to a single vehicle accident that involved a Sheriff’s Deputy
MARION COUNTY: Marion County Sheriff Deputy Jonathan Coleman crashed his emergency vehicle on Wednesday morning following the hurricane, and was taken to hospital with a possible broken ankle
SAVANNAH: Kevin Ayala lifts a sandbag into the back of his pickup truck in preparation for Hurricane Idalia
SAVANNAH:Trenton Spencer fills sandbags for his neighbors in preparation for Hurricane Idalia’s arrival on Wednesday evening
SAVANNAH: A young boy runs past his sister, who is huddled under an umbrella as the outer weather bands of Hurricane Idalia hit Tybee Island
SAVANNAH: Tricia Bart Catalano lifts sandbags into the back of her car as Georgia prepares to be hit by the storm
VALDOSTA: The city of Valdosta braces to be swept away by Category 1 storm Idalia on Wednesday
ST PETERSBURG: Lily Gumos, 11, of St. Pete Beach, kayaks with her French bulldog along Blind Pass Road and 86th Avenue
ST PETERSBURG: People kayak past an abandon vehicle in the intersection of Boca Ciega Drive and Pasadena Avenue on Wednesday
TAMPA BAY: A woman surveys the flooding on Bayshore Blvd after the area became completely engulfed
TAMPA: Residents use kayaks to travel on a flooded road as officials warn more water is coming
TAMPA: Boarded-up homes were flooded under the door as water continued to rise in Tampa Bay
TAMPA: Zeke Pierce rides his paddle board down the middle of a flooded Bayshore Blvd in downtown in Tampa
TAMPA: Members of the Tampa Fire Rescue Dept., remove a street pole after large awnings from an apartment building blew off
TAMPA: Water from the Hillsborough River rises onto Plant park at University of Tampa in downtown
Hurricane Idalia has so far claimed two lives after making landfall onto Florida ‘s Big Bend at Keaton Beach at 7.45am on Wednesday – and is barrelling its way towards North and South Carolina
TAMPA: A car struggles to make way through floodwater in Tampa as the storm moves on to Georgia
TAMPA: A bridge is covered with water in Tampa, Florida, on August 30, 2023, after Hurricane Idalia made landfall
VIRGINIA: All flights to Florida have been canceled from Ronald Reagan Airport in Virginia, as Tampa Airport announced flights will resume from 4pm
Tens of thousands of people are under evacuation orders, and at least 260,000 are without power as flooding is battering the Big Bend coastline.
Tornado watches have been issued across Florida as well as in parts of North and South Carolina until at least 10pm on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service confirmed that Lowndes County in Georgia had been hit by between 3 to 5 inches of rain in less than an hour. More than 100,000 customers in Georgia were without power as of noon.
Authorities are warning that there will be ‘life-threatening’ storm surges to Tybee Island and Hilton Head Island off the coast of Savannah, Georgia.
Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia said there had already been a ‘heavy impact’ in the southern part of the state, including flash flooding, downed trees and the possibility of nine to 10 inches of rain in places.
He added: ‘Thankfully it’s nothing to the scale that Michael was,’,referring to a powerful 2018 hurricane.
Charleston County authorities, in South Carolina, are advising residents to stay inside for the next 24 hours to reduce their risk of coming to harm.
Tallahassee avoided much of the punch from the storm, according to Governor DeSantis, with the NWS adding: ‘We were fortunately spared from the worst.’
It is the latest hurricane to batter Florida, which has barely recovered from Hurricane Ian – which cost the state $113 billion to repair.
Idalia is the second storm of a century to hit Keaton Beach, where the hurricane made landfall, in 30 years.
MAYO: Army members patrol outside Lafayette High School after the arrival of Hurricane Idalia
TARPON SPRINGS: A truck attempts to make its way through the floodwater dragging a jet ski behind it
TARPON SPRINGS: A couple ride their ATV through the flooded streets as they flee their homes
TARPON SPRINGS: Ken Kruse looks out at the flood waters from Hurricane Idalia surrounding his apartment complex on August 30
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned of catastrophic storm surges of up to 12 to 16 feet in the worst affected areas
TARPON SPRINGS: Makatla Ritchter (L) and her mother, Keiphra Line wade through flood waters after having to evacuate their home on Wednesday morning
The northern eyewall of Idalia is now onshore, with the center of the hurricane crossing onto Florida’s Big Bend at 7.45am
TARPON SPRINGS: Residents look on over the flood water as it continues to raise above one floor of their property
TARPON SPRINGS: People wade through flood waters after their homes were battered by the once-in-a-lifetime storm
TARPON SPRINGS: Cars sit in flood waters from Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday morning in Florida
What is the eye and eyewall of a hurricane?
Described as the most devastating region of the storm, the eyewall surrounds the eye of the storm.
The eye is the roughly circular area of comparatively light winds that encompasses the center of a severe tropical cyclone.
It is either completely or partially surrounded by the eyewall cloud – which is an organized band or ring of cumulonimbus clouds that surround the eye, or light-wind center of a tropical cyclone.
The convergence of winds here is so strong that the air rises faster, and with more force, than anywhere else in a hurricane, producing intense rain and damaging winds.
Credit: NHC
In March 1993, the region was struck by what has been called ‘the storm of the century,’ with wind gusts over 90 miles per hour, tornadoes and a devastating storm surge with at least seven killed in the county.
Tampa’s airport confirmed that it would be reopening at 4pm after sustaining ‘minimal damage’ from the storm.
Idalia surged to a Category 4 storm in the early hours because of warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, reaching speeds of up to 156mph – before dropping to 125mph shortly after 7am and 110mph at 9am.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned of catastrophic storm surges of up to 12 to 16 feet in the worst affected areas.
Cedar Kay is being hit with almost 9 feet of storm surge, the worst in 109 years with waters still rising rapidly – eclipsing a record from Hurricane Hermine in 2016.
The entire downtown commercial area in Cedar Keys, Florida is underwater after Hurricane Idalia battered the area.
Hurricane Idalia has been branded ‘an unprecedented event’ by the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.
It will be one of only three Category 3 hurricanes to make landfall within 60 miles of Cedar Keys.
Hurricane Easy in 1950 and an unnamed hurricane in 1896 are the only others of that strength to make landfall in that area.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis warned ‘don’t mess with this storm’ as the power briefly went out from his headquarters.
He added that there have been 15 tornado warnings issued, saying: ‘It’s going to be a significant, significant impact.’
DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 49 Florida counties, as 5,500 National Guard members were mobilized to help with evacuations and building defenses.
The region is braced for another ‘multibillion-dollar insurance industry event’, with some firms restricting their business in Florida because of the common weather events.
State regulations prevent them from raising prices for customers, which they claim forces them to say no to new policies.
CLEARWATER: A boardwalk at the Clearwater Harbor Marina in Clearwater, Florida, is flooded by the rising tide
NAPLES: Construction equipment sits partially submerged after storm surge from Hurricane Idalia hit Naples
GAINESVILLE: A 59-year-old man died in a road accident before Idalia hit landfall in Gainesville
FLAGLER PIER: The structure is battered by huge waves as hurricane Idalia passes through the coast
MAYO: Tree’s were uprooted following the high wind destruction of the Category 1 hurricane
MAYO: People work to free a vehicle stuck on the shoulder amid storm debris after high winds of 110mph
CEDAR KEYS: Debris and broken trees littered the roads in Cedar Keys which was battered with 110mph winds
PINELLAS COUNTY: Don Hawthorne walks across his flooded yard in unincorporated Pinellas County, following the storm surge
The Insurance Information Institute estimates that property and casualty insurers in the state have had cumulative underwriting losses of more than $1 billion for the last three years.
North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia have all declared states of emergency, with assistance being provided from both California and New York.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is sending specialized search-and-rescue teams to Orlando and Atlanta.
New York’s Task Force 1, made up of NYPD and fire department employees, has arrived in South Carolina in preparation for rescue efforts.
Idalia is the third hurricane to make landfall in Florida in the last 12 months, following Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and Hurricane Nicole in October 2022.
DeSantis suspended tolls in several counties as he urged residents to finalize their storm and evacuation preparation.
The last hurricane to make landfall in the region was 2016’s Hermine, which made landfall as a Category 1 storm.
More than 30,000 utility workers have been put on standby to make repairs as quickly as possible in the hurricane’s wake.
The storm could be a big blow to a state still dealing with lingering damage from last year’s Hurricane Ian, which killed 150 people – more in Florida than any hurricane in almost 90 years.
A tornado watch is now in effect for more than seven million people across central and western Florida, including Tampa, until 6am ET on Wednesday.
Peak levels of the surge are expected to hit between Chassahowitzka and Aucilla River, with residents advised to follow advice from local officials.
FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell confirmed that the Biden administration made a supplemental request to Congress for $12billion to support the agency’s disaster relief fund.
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