October 5, 2016 | No Comments
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott urged those potentially in the path of Hurricane Matthew to consider evacuating now rather than waiting for orders as the storm decimates the Caribbean.
“If Matthew has direct impact in Florida, there will be massive destruction we have not seen in years,” Scott told reporters during a news conference at the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.
The storm is currently a Category 3, but could become a Category 4 as it re-enters warm water after slowly churning past Cuba. Scott said that many in South Florida have roughly 24 hours to prepare for the storm’s impact.
“Having a plan in place can be the difference between life and death,” Scott said. “We expect to see impacts all along Florida’s east coast, from the Keys to Nassau County.”
Current projections have the storm not directly hitting Florida, but rather passing just off the state’s east coast. Scott, however, warned a small change could drastically alter that route.
“Regardless of direct hit or not, the impacts will be devastating,” he said. “Can’t emphasize enough — everyone in our state must prepare for a direct hit.”
In preparation of the storm’s approach, Scott activated 500 Florida National Guard members who can help with evacuations and post-storm cleanup.
Rain up and down Florida’s east coast is expected to be from 4 to 10 inches, and school districts and colleges in the region have already announced closures.
Along with those closures, the storm is leaving its mark on the 2016 election, which is moving into its final weeks.
Political events that have been postponed as the storm approaches include: Barack Obama’s visit to campaign for Hillary Clinton; a South Florida visit planned by Ivanka Trump; an annual conference hosted by Associated Industries of Florida; and a 18th Congressional District debate between Democrat Randy Perkins and Republican Brian Mast.
The storm also approaches as vote-by-mail ballots are being sent to voters across the state. Scott said the storm “won’t have an impact” on voting because there are multiple ways to cast ballots, including by mail, early voting, and on election day.