Scott Declares Emergency For All Of Florida Due To Hurricane Matthew

October 4, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott on Monday signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency for all of Florida as a major hurricane threatened to churn up the East Coast later in the week.

Hurricane Matthew was southeast of Jamaica on Monday but was predicted to head north and likely produce “devastating impacts from storm surge, extreme winds, heavy rains, flash floods, and/or mudslides in portions of the watch and warning areas in Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas,” the National Hurricane Center said in a 5 p.m. advisory.

While the path remains unclear as the storm goes further north, the Hurricane Center said direct hurricane impacts are possible in Florida later in the week.

Scott said the declaration of emergency will help the state prepare.

“Hurricane Matthew is a life-threatening Category 4 hurricane and we must all take it seriously,” Scott said in a statement. “If Hurricane Matthew directly impacts Florida, there could be massive destruction which we haven’t seen since Hurricane Andrew devastated Miami-Dade County in 1992. That is why we cannot delay and must prepare for direct impact now.”

At this time, Hurricane Matthew is not expected to have any significant impact on Escambia or Santa Rosa counties

.

by The News Service of Florida


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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News