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| Hurricane Helene heading toward Florida, US |
The storm Helene intensified into a hurricane on Wednesday, with meteorologists cautioning that it may escalate to a significant Category 3 or 4 storm prior to making landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast late Thursday.
The National Hurricane Center has indicated that the hurricane is likely to bring "life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds, and heavy rainfall" to a substantial area of Florida and the Southeastern United States.
In anticipation of its impact, the governors of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina have declared states of emergency. Tampa International Airport has announced the suspension of operations on Thursday in preparation for Helene's approach.
Several counties in Florida have issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents in low-lying regions. Those in the potential path of the storm have been advised to prepare for the possibility of being without electricity for up to a week.
"This is a significant storm," stated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during a press briefing on Wednesday. "Many individuals will experience power outages ... be ready for that."
According to the National Hurricane Center's latest advisory, Helene, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, is located about 85 miles east-northeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and 500 miles south-southwest of Tampa, Fla., and is moving north-northwest at 10 mph.
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