Idalia moves to North Carolina after leaving Florida neighbourhoods underwater – live

In a 5am ET update, the National Hurricane Center said that heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash flooding is continuing to hit North Carolina.

“Tropical Storm #Idalia Advisory 19: Heavy Rainfall and Life-Threatening Flash Flooding Continues in Portions of Eastern North Carolina. http://hurricanes.gov,” the agency tweeted.

Cleanup and recovery from Hurricane Idalia began along Florida’s Gulf Coast, where property damage, loss of life and power disruptions paled in comparison to the last major hurricane that struck the state nearly a year ago.

Idalia crashed ashore on Wednesday morning as a powerful Category 3 hurricane at Keaton Beach in Florida’s Big Bend region, lashing the coast with sustained winds of up to 125 miles per hour (201 kph), accompanied by torrential rains and pounding surf.

The surge of storm-driven seawater rushed inland for miles, flooding low-lying communities and roadways in its path.

Electricity outages from fallen trees, utility poles and power lines were widespread, as were wind-damaged and flooded buildings, in hard-hit communities such as Perry, a city about 20 miles inland and north of where Idalia came ashore.

By nightfall, authorities were still trying to assess the full extent of damage.

Insured property losses in Florida were projected to run $9.36 billion, investment bank UBS said in a research note based on preliminary estimates.

Florida residents shared heartbreaking photos of the destruction caused by Hurricane Idalia after the powerful storm swept into the state on Wednesday.

Idalia made landfall around 8am as an “extremely dangerous” Category 3 storm with 120mph winds and warnings of “catastrophic” coastal surge up to 15 feet in places. More than 250,000 customers were left without power on Wednesday.

The hurricane came ashore near Keaton Beach in Big Bend, southeast of Tallahassee, an area known as “Florida’s nature coast” and less densely-populated than other parts of the state.

But that was cold comfort for the small, tranquil communities dotting the coastline with Idalia forecast to be the strongest storm to hit the region in more than 100 years.

Tropical storm Idalia has descended on the Carolinas on its way out to the Atlantic Ocean, leaving a trail of flooding and destruction throughout the southeast that stretched back to its landfall as a hurricane in Florida.

Rescue and repair efforts continued in the areas the storm passed and there was no immediate word on the toll from the ferocious winds and inundating waters, but three deaths have been reported so far in rain and wind-related accidents.

The storm has left as many as a half-million customers without power in Florida and other states at one point as it ripped down power poles and lines.

Still, it was far less destructive than feared, providing only glancing blows to Tampa Bay and other more populated areas as it came ashore with 125mph (201kph) in rural Florida.

The weakening storm still packed winds of up to 60mph (96kph) as it blasted through Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday evening.

President Joe Biden says Hurricane Idalia is “still very dangerous” even though it has weakened after coming ashore in Florida.

Mr Biden said he had spoken to the governors of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, all states affected by Idalia.

He received his second briefing in as many days from Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and directed her to spend Thursday with Republican governor Ron DeSantis to start assessing the hurricane damage and the needs there.

Mr DeSantis, who is a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, and Mr Biden have clashed in recent months over the socially conservative governor’s policies. as politicians from opposing parties will do.

But he said there was no trace of politics in his storm-related conversations with the governor.

“I know that sounds strange,” Mr Biden said, noting how partisan politics have become. He recalled accompanying Mr DeSantis in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the last major storm to wallop Florida.

“I think he trusts my judgment and my desire to help and I trust him to be able to suggest that this is not about politics,” the president said. “This is about taking care of the people of the state.”

Storm surges are expected to impact much of the southeast coast through tonight as Idalia continues its path sustaining tropical storm-force winds of up to 60mph, according to an 11pm ET update from the National Weather Service (NWS).

Coastal flooding is also expected in Storm Surge Watch areas in North Carolina on Thursday, NWS noted its latest update.

Idalia is currently 15 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina.