Hurricane Ian, the most dangerous category 5, is moving through the state of Florida.
According to the US National Hurricane Center, the speed of wind gusts within the storm is about 42 m/s, and in some places it reaches 70 m/s. In several cities, the water level rose by more than 2 meters.
The National Weather Service warned of a "catastrophic" storm surge and the possibility of tornadoes.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency and urged 2,5 million residents to evacuate.
About 600 homes and businesses are reportedly experiencing power outages.
The hurricane is moving northeast at a speed of 13 km/h.
American media noted that Hurricane Ian can be compared to the strongest storm on record on the west coast of Florida: the speed of wind gusts is similar to that recorded during Hurricane Charlie in 2004.
