'This is a major, major storm': DeSantis warns residents to shelter in place as Hurricane Ian lurches towards Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida officials and residents are preparing for a “catastrophic” natural disaster when Hurricane Ian makes landfall as early as Wednesday, bringing with it potentially deadly rain and winds that could leave Floridians without power for days.

With mere hours until the Category 4 hurricane makes landfall, Florida’s top officials said that bridges are now closed in some of the areas facing the greatest threat: Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota counties on the west coast. Scores of Floridians evacuated ahead of the massive storm, but for those that didn’t, they are now being directed to stay indoors at the risk of facing maximum winds clocking in at 155 miles per hour.

“If you are in any of those counties, it’s no longer possible to safely evacuate,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a Wednesday morning briefing. “It’s time to hunker down and prepare for this storm.”

More than two million residents are under evacuation orders and on Tuesday officials began moving residents in more than 90 nursing homes to safe areas.

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, the hurricane was located some 80 miles southwest of Charlotte County and was “knocking on the door” of being a Category 5 storm, DeSantis said.

With the storm bearing down on Florida, DeSantis and other officials say they are preparing for extensive efforts to restore power after Ian strikes. The state is also gearing up for search and rescue operations that could arise due to flooding. More than 5,000 national guard troops are activated and 30,000 utility workers are on standby to help get power back to residents. DeSantis said 26 states are providing assistance.

“This is a major, major storm,” he said. “It will have major, major impacts.”

The National Hurricane Center warned Wednesday that Hurricane Ian is triggering “destructive” waves off Florida’s coast clearing between 12 and 16 feet above ground level from Englewood to Bonita Beach. NHS is predicting “widespread, life-threatening and catastrophic” flooding throughout central Florida and “considerable” flooding elsewhere in the state.

“Preparations to protect life and property should be urgently rushed to completion,” the NHC said Wednesday morning.

Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell, speaking on MSNBC on Wednesday, also warned residents in evacuation areas to stay in place if they haven’t left their homes. Criswell emphasized that they have “moved the right personnel and the right resources in place to make sure that we can respond immediately, especially for those life-saving efforts.”

DeSantis and President Joe Biden regularly trade barbs over a host of issues, including immigration and Covid mandates, but appear to be working together during this natural disaster. Biden on Tuesday night spoke with DeSantis and both men are “committed to continued close coordination,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierretweeted.

The state should also expect tornado warnings, which have already been felt in south Florida.

DeSantis said Wednesday that while not everyone followed evacuation orders, most people heeded the warnings and are taking the threat seriously.

"There's gonna be a lot of fallout from this in terms of getting people back on their feet," DeSantis said. "Right now, it’s about safety."