Hurricane Ian to Make Landfall in Florida Tomorrow... Evacuation Order Issued for Residents

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Hurricane Ian, which swept through Cuba, is expected to make landfall in Florida, southeastern United States, on the afternoon of the 28th (local time).

Local media such as The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 27th that Hurricane Ian, moving northward from the Caribbean Sea through Cuba, is expected to directly hit the Tampa area, a densely populated region in Florida. As a Category 3 hurricane, Ian is accompanied by strong winds exceeding 200 km/h, raising concerns about significant damage.

Real estate information company CoreLogic projected that if the Category 3 hurricane directly hits the Tampa area, 300,000 households will be damaged, and the recovery cost will reach $69 billion (approximately 98 trillion won).

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency across the state and mobilized 5,000 National Guard troops for disaster prevention activities. Schools throughout Florida also canceled classes. Additionally, Tampa, expected to be directly hit by the hurricane, issued an evacuation order for residents living in danger zones. It is the first time in about 100 years that Tampa has come directly under the influence of a hurricane.

U.S. President Joe Biden urged citizens in potentially affected areas to evacuate according to local officials' evacuation orders in relation to the northward movement of Hurricane Ian. He also separately spoke with the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, which lie along the hurricane's path, and promised federal government support.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.