Florida declares widespread state of emergency ahead of expected hurricane

Members of the Tampa, Fla., Parks and Recreation Dept., help residents load sandbags Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Residents along Florida’s gulf coast are making preparations for the effects of Tropical Storm Idalia. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Florida residents are loading up on sandbags and evacuating homes in low-lying areas along the Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Idalia intensifies, with forecasters predicting it will hit in days as a major hurricane.

Idalia earlier thrashed Cuba with heavy rain, especially in the western of the island, where the tobacco-producing province of Pinar del Rio is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian almost a year ago.