Hurricane Ian Update

Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified off Florida’s southwest coast Wednesday morning, gaining top winds of 155 mph (250 kph)

Pentagon officials said Tuesday that more than 3,200 National Guard members were on state orders, ready to deploy to areas affected by the storm, with another 1,800 on standby.

An additional 2,000 Guard members from five neighboring states will be available “should the need arise,” Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters during a press conference. Winds exceeding tropical-storm strength of 39 mph (63 kph) reached Florida by 3 a.m.

More than 2.5 million people were under mandatory evacuation orders according to news reports. The hurricane warning covers roughly 220 miles of the state including Fort Myers as well as Tampa and St Petersburg.

Hurricane Ian has left Cuba without any power. It made landfall at around 4.30 am on Tuesday in the Pinar del Rio province, sparking violent winds and flooding, after tens of thousands of people had been evacuated.