Array
President Biden’s top emergency official told Floridians to “get ready” and not to underestimate Hurricane Ian as it creeps toward Florida’s western coast, posing the risk of deadly winds, flooding and powerful storm surges.
Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the storm is moving at 12 mph but will slow to 5 mph when it makes landfall, likely on Wednesday night.
“What this means is that Floridians are going to experience the impacts from this storm for a very long time,” Ms. Criswell said at the White House.
Ms. Criswell said she is worried about complacency because this part of Florida hasn’t experienced a direct hit by a hurricane in many years, and there are plenty of new residents in the area.
The National Hurricane Center upgraded Ian early Tuesday to a category 3 storm, with winds of at least 125 mph.
