Powerful photos show Hurricane Idalia's path of destruction in Southeast

Idalia made landfall in Keaton Beach, Fla., on Wednesday morning.

Niamh Cavanagh
·Reporter
Updated ·3 min read
2.4k
Wearing rain boots, Jewell Baggett stands in a grassy area with debris from destroyed mobile homes strewn around.
Jewell Baggett searches for anything salvageable amid the wreckage of her mother's mobile home in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., on Wednesday. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

Three people have reportedly died since Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Wednesday morning, the first to hit the United States this season.

The eye of Tropical Storm Idalia pushed through North Carolina on Thursday morning, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. When it made landfall early on Wednesday, then-Hurricane Idalia brought winds of 125 mph to Florida’s Gulf Coast. As it moved through the state’s Big Bend region, the Category 3 storm ripped through homes and businesses. Storm surge on Florida’s coastline reached record highs of more than 8 feet in Cedar Key and over 4.5 feet in Tampa Bay.

The remains of a destroyed home in Keaton Beach, Fla.
The remains of a destroyed home in Keaton Beach, Fla., following Hurricane Idalia. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

Read Yahoo News’ Idalia live blog for full coverage of the storm.

So far, three people have reportedly died in three incidents related to Idalia. Two men died in separate car crashes in Florida, and a third man is reported to have died in Georgia after a tree fell on him when he was clearing debris from a road.

A truck with its back wheels stuck in a canal and the front portion resting atop a fence-like structure.
A truck stuck in a canal in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., after the storm on Wednesday. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)

At its peak, more than 300,000 homes were left without power in four states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Electricity began to be slowly restored through Wednesday night, with more homes gaining power into Thursday afternoon. President Biden approved emergency assistance for South Carolina after it was hit with tornadoes as well as “life-threatening winds.”

Cleanup and rescue efforts have already begun in all four states. Florida Gov. Ron DeSanits said there had been 40 successful rescues made since Wednesday night after Idalia left "significant damage" across the state. Speaking at a news conference in Tallahassee, DeSantis said that 29 of the 40 rescues had been made by the National Guard. He added that “efforts are continuing.”

As Idalia heads east to the Atlantic Ocean, all eyes are on Hurricane Franklin and Tropical Storm Jose, which formed hundreds of miles east of Bermuda. Meteorologists said the storm will make its way toward Bermuda in the coming days before being absorbed by Hurricane Franklin.

A large amount of debris piled up in a canal.
A massive amount of debris in a canal in Horseshoe Beach after Hurricane Idalia. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)
A storm-damaged gas statio in Perry, Fla.
A storm-damaged gas station in Perry, Fla., after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
A downed tree blocks a road in Perry, Fla., after the storm.
A downed tree blocks a road in Perry, Fla., after the storm. (Thomas Simonetti/ The Washington Post via Getty Images)
A partially submerged vehicle in a canal on Wednesday.
A partially submerged vehicle in a canal on Wednesday. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)
People pass by a damaged McDonald's sign.
People pass by a damaged McDonald's sign following Hurricane Idalia. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)
An American flag and a destroyed chain-link fence in floodwater.
An American flag sits in floodwater in Horseshoe Beach, Fla. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)