In the wake of the damage Hurricane Idalia walloped Florida with, residents in the city of Ocala remain thankful their area remains a relative ‘safe haven’ through the Sunshine State’s stormy weather.
Although the hurricane brought significant damage and led to at least seven direct deaths at the end of August, experts cautioned that the damage could have been far worse.
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In Tallahassee, home to about 200,000 people, Florida State University and Governor Ron DeSantis’ mansion – which was struck by a falling tree in the storm – residents saw significant damage but were spared the eye of the storm.
However, Ocala – located at the state’s center – is considered one of the state’s lowest risks for coastal flooding in a state that takes 40 percent of the nation’s direct hits from hurricanes.
In addition, only Lake City and Tallahassee have less risk of suffering from high winds, drought and inland flooding in the state, according to Climate Alpha, which uses analytics to predict climate volatility.
While Hurricane Irma hit the region fairly hard in 2017, residents tell the Wall Street Journal that the powerful storms lose momentum by the time they reach Ocala, which is 100 feet above sea level.
Even when there was worry that Hurricane Idalia would hit Ocala, the city suffered no major damage and only minor power outages, that were quickly restored.
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The city and its surroundings also have lower housing costs and – perhaps most importantly – lower insurance premiums during a time when some insurance companies refuse to operate ion the state.
Marion County, the home of Ocala, had an average insurance premium of $1,894 per year, second lowest in the state behind neighboring Sumter County.
By comparison, on the Florida Keys in Monroe County, you’d be paying $7,584 on insurance premiums.
In other trendy areas, the premiums are almost as high, including in Palm Beach ($5,710 per year), Broward ($5,519) and Miami Dade ($5,665).
Home prices also make the area appealing, with a median luxury residence going for an average of $710,000, whereas Tampa will run you $1.5million and other areas in the state cost upwards of $3million.
‘People want to find an easier life,’ where they don’t want to deal with the storms all the time, according to Ocala House Properties broker Matt Varney.
While some may have been relieved when Idalia touched down with less force than once feared, the effects were severe for thousands as the damage stretched across much of the west coast of the state and into Georgia and South Carolina.
After slowing before it reached the shore, the National Weather Service monitored the storm moving forwards at 18mph, a surprisingly faster than average speed that meterologists said may have been both a good and a bad side effect.
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The speed saw the storm move through certain areas fairly quickly which limited some of the damage, however it also allowed it to maintain momentum and continue on its path.
Idalia’s potency and wide radius saw the storm reach large swaths of Florida before touching Georgia and the Carolinas, with the twister still causing damage Thursday as storm surges were seen in North Carolina.
However, in Ocala – which did predict a big impact – avoided much of the storm, with six shelters only in use for about half a day and only dedicated to the most needed.
The shelters were all elementary schools, which all were able to reopen the next day, according to the Ocala Star-Banner.
The destruction elsewhere also led President Joe Biden to formally declare a major disaster, which allows the White House to funnel federal funds to the affected areas.
‘The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Citrus, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee, and Taylor,’ the White House said in a statement.
The storm brought strong winds to Savannah, Georgia, as it made its way toward the Carolinas and was forecast to move along the coast before heading out into the Atlantic Ocean.
The National Weather Service said Idalia spawned a tornado that briefly touched down in Charleston, South Carolina, where two people suffered minor injures as the winds sent a car flying.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHY
