Tropical storm Idalia brings ‘life-threatening’ flooding to the Carolinas as Florida surveys aftermath: Live

31 Aug 2023 • 9:29 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Tropical storm Idalia has left at least three people dead across Florida and Georgia as it now continues to hammer North Carolina with life-threatening flooding.

Idalia ploughed into Florida as a Category 3 Hurricane on Wednesday morning, before making its way inland through Georgia and the Carolinas.

Terrifying videos coming out of Florida have shown a car being flipped into the air by a huge gust of wind and a gas station roof being blown off.

Florida Highway Patrol said that two men were killed in two separate weather-related road accidents on Wednesday morning in the Sunshine State. Meanwhile in Georgia, a man was killed by a falling tree while he was trying to clear another tree off a highway.

Florida began its recovery efforts after the storm passed through on Wednesday, with Governor Ron DeSantis warning looters that they could be shot if they try to target affected communities.

As of 5am ET on Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center said that flooding due to heavy rains and strong winds would continue to ravage coastal North Carolina throughout today. Idalia is then expected to chart its path out into the Atlantic later on Thursday.