Tropical Storm Idalia keeps pounding the Southeast’s Atlantic coast, bringing strong winds and storm surge in North Carolina while parts of Florida’s west coast grapple with “significant damage” from the most powerful hurricane to slam its Big Bend region in more than a century.

Thousands of homes are damaged in Florida – some with shredded walls and roofs, others with murky, waist-high floodwater that officials warn could be dangerous for days to come.

And Idalia is not done. “Strong winds and storm surge continue along the coast of North Carolina,” the National Hurricane Center said Thursday afternoon.

Several deaths have been reported, but the devastation was not as immense as it could have been after the Category 3 hurricane pummeled Florida before tearing through southern Georgia and South Carolina.

Some have credited improved forecasting for spurring residents to evacuate the right places well ahead of time.

The National Hurricane Center issued its first Idalia forecast Saturday – back when the storm was near Cozumel, Mexico – and projected a US landfall within 10 miles of where it actually struck five days later, near Keaton Beach, Florida.

By then, at least 28 Florida counties had issued evacuation orders.

“These forecasts were pretty doggone accurate, particularly compared to what happened with Hurricane Ian – where we went in a matter of 48 hours to potentially having a Big Bend impact, then all of a sudden migrating all the way down to southwest Florida,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday.

A low death toll was “probably something that most people would not have bet on four or five days ago, knowing how strong the storm was going to get,” DeSantis said. “So my hat’s off to the people on the ground there who did a good job.”

Still, dozens of people had to be rescued from perilous floodwaters brought on by the double whammy of torrential rain and walls of seawater crashing onto land.

At least 40 people were rescued overnight, the governor said Thursday, with more rescues expected.

The storm is still deluging parts of coastal North Carolina as its center slowly trudges over the Atlantic Ocean. Water along North Carolina’s coast could rise up to 4 feet, the National Hurricane Center said.

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“The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline,” the center said.

TRACK IDALIA’S PATH

Here’s the latest on Idalia’s wrath and aftermath:

• Parts of the Southeast are still in danger: “Swells will affect the southeastern U.S. coast during the next few days,” the National Hurricane Center said Thursday. “These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”

• Thousands of homes damaged: Between 4,000 and 6,000 homes have been inundated in Florida’s Pasco County alone, county administrator Mike Carballa said.

• Federal disaster declaration: President Joe Biden has formally declared a major disaster in Florida. “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 Thursday. Biden said he will visit Florida on Saturday.

• Flood rescues: Emergency crews saved about 150 residents from flooded neighborhoods in Pasco County, the fire-rescue chief said. Some parts of the county – just north of Tampa – saw water surges between 3 and 5 feet.

• Historic water levels: In South Carolina, Charleston Harbor’s water level spiked more than 9 feet, the National Weather Service said. In Florida, Cedar Key, East Bay Tampa, Clearwater Beach and St. Petersburg endured record storm surges.

• Thousands in the dark: About 140,000 Florida power customers still had no electricity Thursday morning, DeSantis said, but service has been restored to about 420,000 others who lost power during the storm.

• Boil water advisory: Some areas in DeSoto, Dixie, Leon, Levy, Marion and Taylor counties in Florida are under boil water notices issued by the state’s health department.

• Some school districts to reopen: At least 30 of 52 school districts that closed ahead of the storm have reopened Thursday, DeSantis said. Eight are scheduled to reopen Friday.

‘It was biblical stuff’

It’s still not clear how much destruction Idalia inflicted as it hurled 125-mph winds and record-breaking storm surge on Florida’s Big Bend area – the nook between the panhandle and peninsula.

“There’s a massive amount of debris,” the governor said Thursday.

DeSantis and the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency are expected to visit some of the hardest-hit areas – including Steinhatchee and the island city of Cedar Key – on Thursday because “we were not able to access those areas cleanly” on Wednesday, DeSantis said. “Now, we’re going to be able to do it and we will report back on what we see and what actions will be necessary.”

Many places that bore the brunt of Idalia’s wrath “don’t necessarily have the resources” to handle such a powerful hurricane, said US Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida, who used to lead the state’s Division of Emergency Management.

“There are some communities that may never look the same and others that will get rebuilt that will look slightly different,” he said.

“This is a life-changing event for some of these counties.”

Michael Bobbitt, a Cedar Key resident who rode out the storm to help his neighbors, said the scene was “almost apocalyptic.”

“When the wind was kicking in the middle of the night, and when the water was coming toward us from all three sides, it looked like a leviathan trying to reach out of the water to devour us whole. It was biblical stuff,” Bobbitt said Wednesday night.

Some traditional Florida villas “were just picked up and carried into the Gulf, so that was heartbreaking to see,” Bobbitt said.

“My neighbor’s house across from me was submerged to the roof line, but we had no injuries,” he said. “We’re here. We’ll rebuild. We’ll do what Cedar Key does. All in all, I feel incredibly blessed.”

He credited the federal, state and local government with a “remarkable response” to the disaster.

“We’ve got what we need. The resources are in place, and we’re already about the business of rebuilding this island,” Bobbitt said.

The death toll remains uncertain

Two men were killed in separate, weather-related crashes Wednesday morning as Idalia barreled across Florida, Sgt. Steve Gaskins of Florida Highway Patrol said.

But on Thursday, DeSantis said “so far, there’s been one confirmed fatality and that was a traffic fatality in Alachua County.”

But despite the devastation, many Floridians were grateful Idalia’s impact wasn’t more catastrophic.

“We got buzz-sawed along the side,” Pasco County Administrator Mike Carballa said. “Quite honestly, while the effects could have been worse, we definitely took it on the chin.”

The Canadian government is warning its LGBTQ citizens of risks they could face when traveling to the US, citing new laws in several states.

“Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons. Check relevant state and local laws,” reads the updated advisory posted on Tuesday.

“2SLGBTQI+” is the acronym used by the Canadian government, with the “2S” referring to Two-Spirit, according to the government’s glossary of terminology.

Neither the statement nor the travel advisory single out specific states or laws.

The updated travel advice comes after US-based advocacy group Human Rights Campaign declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ people in June.

“LGBTQ+ Americans are living in a state of emergency. The multiplying threats facing millions in our community are not just perceived – they are real, tangible and dangerous,” the group’s president, Kelley Robinson, said. “In many cases they are resulting in violence against LGBTQ+ people, forcing families to uproot their lives and flee their homes in search of safer states, and triggering a tidal wave of increased homophobia and transphobia that puts the safety of each and every one of us at risk.”

The updated Canadian advisory also links to broader advice on how LGBTQ travelers could be targeted when traveling to foreign countries. It tells travelers to beware of laws that criminalize same-sex activities and relationships, or target people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Foreign laws and customs related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) can be very different from those in Canada. As a result, you could face certain barriers and risks when you travel outside Canada,” the advice reads.

“Every Canadian government, very much including our government, needs to put at the center of everything we do the interests and the safety of every single Canadian and every single group of Canadians,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday, defending the decision to update the advisory.

“We have professionals in the government whose job is to look carefully around the world and to monitor whether there are particular dangers to particular groups of Canadians. That’s their job and it’s the right thing to do,” she added.

Freeland did not comment on whether US President Joe Biden knew of the advisory beforehand.

The US is committed to “promoting tolerance, inclusion, justice and dignity while helping to advance the equality and human rights of LGBTQI+ persons.” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday. “We all must continue to do this work with our like-minded partners not only in the United States, not only in Canada, but throughout the world,” the statement continued.

Last week, the embassy posted a declaration of support for Ottawa’s Capital Pride Festival.

The release reads in part, “Get Proud, La Fierté Haut et Fort” – this year’s Capital Pride theme – is exactly what we do! We celebrate even more loudly and proudly when we do so together.”

It’s been hidden from public eyes for more than a hundred years. But in a few weeks time, the former Old War Office in London, Whitehall will finally open its doors after a multi-million-dollar transformation.

Previously home to the operations of military leaders like Winston Churchill, the property has been reinvented as the UK’s first Raffles hotel, with luxurious rooms starting at £1,100 (around $1,392) per night.

Featuring 120 rooms and suites, a 600-person ballroom and London’s first ever Guerlain-brand spa, Raffles London at The OWO, a collaboration with the late French architect Thierry Despont, is one of this year’s most highly anticipated hotel openings.

Monumental building

The building also happens to be the location where British writer Ian Fleming came up with the idea for the James Bond spy novels while working as a British Naval Intelligence Officer.

Fans of 007 may recognize some areas of the property, which was used as a filming location in more recent movies in the franchise like “Spectre,” as well as older ones such as “Octopussy,” and “Licence to Kill.”

But why has it taken the Raffles hotel brand, established by Armenian hoteliers, the Sarkies Brothers, in 1887 and named after Sir Stamford Raffles, considered the founder of modern Singapore, so long to come to the UK capital?

Originally completed in 1906, the landmark building has undergone an eight-year renovation that saw hundreds of artisans drafted in to restore historic elements, including oak paneling and hand laid mosaic flooring.

And according to Jill O’Hare, director of sales and marketing for Raffles London, there was as much restoration as there was construction during the extensive process of transforming the historic building into a luxury hotel.

Steeped in history

The grand marble staircase lined with red carpet with the original logo from the Old War Office is among the original Edwardian features within the property, and undoubtedly one of its most eye-catching and Instagram friendly features.

A huge custom-made chandelier hangs directly above it, while a stunning gold French clock hangs on the wall.

Original cobblestones have been painstakingly removed, restored and returned to the inner courtyard, which separates the hotel from the 85 residences that form part of the building.

Meanwhile, the one-time Spies Entrance, previously used by agents, is now the main entry point for residents of luxurious Raffles-branded homes, where prices for a two-bedroom residence begin at around $11.48 million.

“It’s giving a new life to a building that has existed since 1906,” adds Leboeuf. “It was sitting there empty, costing money. So it’s a nice conversion.”

While there are countless nods to the building’s history everywhere you look, including curtains with military buttons, the hotel also incorporates modern elements, such as rooms featuring bathrooms with televisions.

The hotel’s five heritage suites consist of the two-bedroom Churchill suite, formerly the Army Council Room, and the one-bedroom Granville suite, named after celebrated Polish agent Christine Granville (also known as Krystyna Skarbek), with a huge bathroom complete with a freestanding bathtub and a custom built walk-in shower.

Raffles is known for its impeccable service, and the team at Raffles London says its pulling out all the stops to ensure that the hotel, which has a 24-hour butler service for its suites, lives up to the brand’s longstanding reputation.

“There are a lot of top hotels in London,” adds Leboeuf. “And we have to reestablish ourselves in our service.

“To have a beautiful building is something, but we must also have service that goes with that.”

Desirable location

The building itself encompasses three bars and nine restaurants, with five, including signature restaurants from Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco based in the hotel.

A rooftop restaurant and sake bar by Japanese chef Endo Kazutoshi is scheduled to open at the property later this year.

Meanwhile, the Guerlain spa, which extends across four of the hotels 14 floors (seven above ground and seven below,) holds nine treatment rooms including a salon, beauty treatment spaces, couple suites and a 20-meter swimming pool, a vitality pool and steam and sauna rooms.

The hotel’s stunning ballroom, which can be booked for parties, weddings and corporate events, is already in high demand.

While Raffles London is one of a number of new hotels launching in London this year, including The Peninsula London and the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, Leboeuf feels that the location and the history of the building set it apart.

Although Whitehall, which extends from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament, is known for government buildings rather than luxury hotels, the opening of the five-star Corinthia Hotel London on Whitehall Place in 2011, has led to something a change on this front.

“Ten years ago, it was an area of typical government buildings and a bit quiet. But I think it’s developing in a very positive way,” says Leboeuf, noting that London’s first Waldorf Astoria property is set to open near Trafalgar Square in 2025.

“To be opposite Horse Guards Parade, the official entrance to Buckingham Palace. You can’t pick a better place.

“It isn’t just a hotel. It’s an entire destination. Which other place can you [stay at] where Ian Fleming worked and had the inspiration for James Bond?”

Raffles London at The OWO opens on Friday September 29.

The mother of beleaguered Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales, who went on hunger strike in support of her son earlier this week, has been taken to a hospital after becoming “anguished and dizzy,” according to a local priest.

Ángeles Béjar locked herself in the Divina Pastora church in her hometown of Motril, in southern Spain, on Monday to protest the treatment of her son after he was suspended by FIFA for forcibly kissing World Cup player Jennifer Hermoso at the final.

A priest at the church, who identified himself as Father Antonio, told reporters that Béjar had been taken to the hospital on Wednesday.

“I need to tell you that she has had a crisis, she has worsened and they needed to take her urgently to the hospital,” said Father Antonio from outside the church.

“So she’s not here anymore, she had to leave for the hospital because the woman was already tired and had lots of issues already, even some anemic issues so she had to leave.”

Béjar felt “anguished and dizzy,” and had complained of irregularities with her heartbeat, Father Antonio said.

He said her son, Rubiales, had spoken with his mother before she was taken to the hospital.

“Her son [Luis Rubiales] called her yes, he has called her and they have been in touch. And among all of them [the family] they decided she needed to go to hospital,” Father Antonio said.

Béjar has previously said her goal was to protest what she called an “inhumane, bloodthirsty hunt” against her son, according to Spanish media reports.

“I don’t think that this man committed a sexual assault like they’re saying. That seems too strong to me,” the friend said.

Mounting pressure

Spain defeated England at the World Cup final earlier this month but the team’s triumph has been overshadowed by the row surrounding Rubiales and significant anger from the women’s team against his leadership.

Rubiales has admitted that he made a mistake kissing Hermoso but has claimed the act was consensual. Hermoso has insisted that she did not give her permission to be kissed and felt violated by Rubiales’ actions.

Rubiales was suspended by FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, over the weekend. Under the terms of the suspension, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) has appointed an interim president to replace Rubiales during the 90 days he’s banned from participating in all football-related activities.

On Monday, all 19 regional presidents of the soccer federation called for Rubiales to resign while offering unanimous support for interim president Pedro Rocha.

The pressure on Rubiales to step down from his position as RFEF president has only intensified since he dramatically refused to do so during a speech at the federation’s Extraordinary General Assembly on Friday, vowing to “fight to the end.”

Spanish prosecutors are considering whether to press sexual aggression charges against Rubiales.

He also faces continued criticism from players, politicians, union officials and even the United Nations, with protesters taking to the streets in Madrid on Monday to escalate calls for his resignation.

Billie Jean King is one of tennis’ original revolutionaries but her influence has been felt far beyond her own sport.

The American great not only fought for equality for women’s tennis, including helping to secure equal pay at the US Open, but she inspired a generation of athletes to fight for equity in their own sports, while also excelling on the court herself.

One star who benefited from King’s remarkable career is US skiing legend Lindsey Vonn.

Vonn, who retired from professional skiing in 2019 as the most successful women’s racer of all-time – her compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin has since broken that record – knows a thing or two about battling for equality herself, but says the 39-time grand slam winner has continued to inspire her own fight.

“She’s such an icon and she has never stopped working towards equality. And she’s not young anymore, but she is still working just as hard as she was when she was starting the WTA.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the US Open offering equal prize money for men and women, and King was honored during an on-court ceremony on the opening night of the tournament on Monday.

King and Vonn were both at the ceremony which recognized the work that King, and others, did to secure equity in 1973, the year the WTA was founded by the tennis legend.

“I’m so impressed by her always. She’s such, again, such an inspiration to me and so many women. I just have nothing but respect and praise for her,” Vonn added.

“I ask her all the time, like: ‘How do you travel so much? You’re just nonstop.’ And she’s like: ‘I have to keep going.’ And it’s just so impressive. She’s got some determination. I love it.”

‘A huge inspiration’

Vonn wrote an op-ed for the US Open website in which she detailed her own battle for equality and respect.

In the article, she referenced King’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ in 1973 – a tennis match against former men’s world No. 1 Bobby Riggs after he claimed he could beat the top female players of the day.

He was 55 at the time of the match and a 29-year-old King gave a huge boost in the women’s battle for equality by beating Riggs in front of an estimated audience of 90 million people worldwide.

“… But Billie Jean was a huge inspiration to me, someone that I always looked up to, my father always pointed her out and the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ was something that I really tried to do in my career.

“I tried to race against the men, and Billie actually gave me some really good advice. But unfortunately, I didn’t do as much as like in my career as Billie Jean, but I’m still working on it and trying my best. And she’s just been an incredible inspiration to all women.”

Caroline Wozniacki has continued her remarkable comeback to tennis by claiming a big win at this year’s US Open.

The former world No. 1 beat 11th-seeded Petra Kvitová in straight sets, 7-5 7-6, on Wednesday in what was her first victory over a player in the Top-20 in almost five years.

Wozniacki was away from competitive tennis for over three years before returning to action less than a month ago.

The Danish star had two children during her break but always stayed close to the sport, playing legends doubles events and working as a TV analyst.

In June this year, she announced her intention to return and hasn’t looked back since.

She made light work of her first round match at Flushing Meadows and was in brilliant form again against two-time grand slam champion Kvitová.

After the win, an overwhelmed Wozniacki could be seen hunched over in her chair, wiping away tears of joy as the fairytale run in New York continued.

“Obviously, I knew coming into the match that I had a chance to win, and I believe in myself. At the same time, she obviously has had a great year,” Wozniacki said after the match, per the WTA.

“She’s 11 in the world, loves to play on hard courts. I knew it was going to be a very tough one and I had to play my best tennis.”

She later told reporters: “I’m just so thrilled to have an opportunity to play out on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Three years ago, if you’d asked me, I didn’t think I was ever going to play on one of those courts again in the US Open, especially a night session.

“It just feels pretty incredible to be out there and winning a match like that.”

Wozniacki won 30 singles titles, including the 2018 Australian Open, before initially retiring in 2020.

Her last victory over a Top-20 player was against Kvitová again, back in 2018.

The 33-year-old Wozniacki, who was runner-up at the US Open in 2009 and 2014, will now face American Jennifer Brady in the next round.

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has condemned Luis Rubiales’ unwanted kiss on Women’s World Cup winner Jennifer Hermoso, describing it as “inappropriate” in an interview with French outlet L’Equipe on Wednesday.

Rubiales, the president of the Spanish football federation, was provisionally suspended by FIFA, global soccer’s governing body, on Saturday after he forcibly kissed Hermoso during Spain’s victory celebrations at the World Cup on August 20.

“Of course, what he did was inappropriate,” said Čeferin, who also serves as one of FIFA’s eight vice-presidents.

“We all know that. I hope he knows it was out of order. That’s enough for the time being because the disciplinary committee will decide.”

He added: “I’m sad that such an event should overshadow the victory of the Spanish national team. We should change things.”

With Rubiales banned from “all football-related activities at national and international level” for 90 days while FIFA disciplinary proceedings are underway, Čeferin said there was “no need to suspend him twice,” referring to the Spaniard’s role as a UEFA vice-president.

Speaking to the federation’s Extraordinary General Assembly on Friday, Rubiales said he will “fight to the end.”

In a defiant speech, he described the kiss as “mutual” – a claim Hermoso has denied, saying she was not respected – and spoke of “unjust” campaigns and “fake feminism.”

Along with the mounting pressure to resign, Rubiales also faces an investigation that could end in sexual aggression charges from Spanish prosecutors.

Earlier this week, all 19 of the Spanish federation’s regional presidents called for Rubiales to resign while also offering unanimous support for interim president Pedro Rocha, who stepped into the role following Rubiales’ suspension by FIFA.

Idalia weakened to a tropical storm Wednesday evening as it dumped heavy rain, unleashed strong winds and knocked out power in parts of southern Georgia and the Carolinas, just hours after pummeling Florida’s west coast and inundating communities there with floodwater.

As the storm moved through South Carolina Wednesday night, the water level at the Charleston Harbor was higher than 9 feet, the National Weather Service said – making it the fifth highest water level ever recorded and only slightly lower than levels reached during Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Irma in 2017.

“Major coastal inundation being reported at Edisto Beach and Downtown Charleston,” the weather service said. “Water has breached the Charleston Battery. Dunes are breached at Edisto with water flowing under homes and onto roadways.”

Some roads were closed due to flooding, Charleston police said, and access to some areas was limited.

“Trees are down. Roads are flooded,” the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office said. “If you encounter street flooding, turn around.”

“All the homes around us,” Frink said, were “all underwater.”

In nearby coastal Pasco County, just north of Tampa, roughly 6,000 homes were “inundated with water,” according to one official.

President Joe Biden said Wednesday he has offered governors across the Southeast “anything their states need” to respond to the storm, and, speaking more widely on the country’s recent natural disasters, said: “I don’t think anybody can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore.”

What to expect Wednesday night

As of 11 p.m. ET Wednesday, the storm’s center was roughly 15 miles north-northwest of Charleston, South Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

Coastal and river flooding threats remained for parts of Georgia and the Carolinas into early Thursday, the National Weather Service warned.

Idalia’s center will move near or along South Carolina’s coast through Wednesday night before moving offshore near North Carolina’s coast Thursday, the center said.

Up to 10 inches of rain could drop over parts of east-central Georgia to central and eastern South Carolina and through eastern North Carolina into Thursday, the hurricane center said.

“These rainfall amounts will lead to areas of flash, urban, and moderate river flooding, with considerable impacts,” the center added.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Idalia’s rain stretched 600 miles, spanning central Florida to central North Carolina, while the storm’s strong winds affected more than 300 miles of that area.

Tornadoes are also possible through daybreak Thursday across coastal North Carolina, the hurricane center said.

Weather-related deaths

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday there was “one unconfirmed fatality” in the storm’s aftermath.

Earlier, Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Gaskins said two men were killed in two separate accidents Wednesday morning during severe storm conditions from Idalia.

Gaskins said both deaths were weather-related. It’s unclear if DeSantis is talking about one of these crashes.

A tree fell on a man who had been cutting another tree that was on a highway, killing him, Paulk said.

Earlier Wednesday, local officials had warned “it is very dangerous out,” urging residents to stay inside.

“We cannot stress this enough, trees and power lines are down all across Lowndes County, please stay off of the streets unless it’s an emergency,” county leaders wrote on Facebook.

In Florida, urban search and rescue personnel have sifted through roughly 75% of the areas hit by the storm, Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie said in a Wednesday evening news conference. Secondary searches will begin for heavily impacted areas to “ensure that those have been cleared and there’s nobody there,” Guthrie said.

“We are not finding anybody at home,” he added. “Many, many people heeded the warnings to evacuate and we, so far, have not had any reports of … fatalities related to any drowning or any flooding.” Evacuation orders, some mandatory, were issued in at least 28 Florida counties.

Danger is not over, Florida officials warn

In storm-ravaged Florida Wednesday evening, authorities were working to restore roads, deploying crews across hard-hit neighborhoods and warning residents to stay vigilant.

Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett urged residents Wednesday to stay inside, noting downed trees and power lines can be dangerous, and said people walking around can interfere with rescue and clean-up efforts.

In Pasco County, authorities conducted more than 80 rescue missions, saving at least 150 people – ranging from just days old to 90 – from floodwaters, local leaders said in a Facebook post.

He said people chose to stay put for a variety of reasons, including one woman who told officials she didn’t have money or a place to go, while another family wanted to protect their belongings and memories.

“Don’t get out onto that water, because it is salt water mixed in with a lot of other things,” the sheriff said.

“It’s going to destroy your vehicles, and then it’s going to give you a costly repair bill whenever you get past the storm.”

FOLLOW HURRICANE IDALIA LIVE UPDATES

Late Wednesday, more than 150,000 customers remained without power in Florida, and another 145,000 in Georgia, and 36,000 in South Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us.

On Wednesday evening, boil water notices were issued for areas across DeSoto, Dixie, Leon, Levy, Marion and Taylor counties, according to Florida’s health department.

Ten Florida hospitals that were evacuated ahead of the storm reported minimal damage and nine of those expect to be “at full operational status within the next 24 hours,” DeSantis said at Wednesday evening’s news conference.

And at least 30 of 52 school districts that closed because of the storm will be open again Thursday, the governor said, and an additional eight will reopen Friday.

Authorities will soon begin conducting initial assessments to try and determine the costs of the storm’s damage, Guthrie said.

Eight feet of water inside a City Hall

Idalia slammed Florida’s Big Bend area – the nook between the panhandle and peninsula – near Keaton Beach Wednesday morning at a dangerous Category 3 strength. That part of the Gulf Coast hasn’t seen such deadly storm surge and wind gust for at least 125 years.

In the vulnerable island city of Cedar Key, a water level record was shattered amid 8 to 9 feet of storm surge.

Cedar Key looked “almost apocalyptic” even before landfall, resident Michael Bobbitt said Wednesday morning. Hours later, the disastrous storm surge had overwhelmed it.

Lifelong Floridian Bobby Witt, who decided to ride out the storm on a boat in Cedar Key, said the storm surge was higher than he expected, and the storm was the worst he’s experienced.

Storm surge accounts for about half of all hurricane-related deaths, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

In Crystal River, authorities spent much of Wednesday conducting rescues and pulling people out of their homes, City Manager Doug Baber told Hill Wednesday night.

“Now we’re moving on to the next step, which is how we’re going to rebuild. Crystal River was decimated,” Baber said. “We had 8 feet of storm surge come inside City Hall. It’s gone.”

Swaths of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Fort Myers Beach were also engulfed by wind-whipped seawater and torrential rain.

Tropical Storm Idalia is still pounding the Southeast’s Atlantic coast, bringing flash flood warnings in North Carolina as communities across Florida’s west coast survey extensive damage from the most powerful hurricane to slam its Big Bend region in more than a century.

FOLLOW LIVE IDALIA UPDATES

After making landfall Wednesday in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, the storm carved its way through southern Georgia and South Carolina. Dozens of people were rescued, and still hundreds of thousands have no power, some are under boil-water orders and some coastal communities far from the landfall zone face a flood risk Thursday morning.

“The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline,” the National Hurricane Center said, noting water could rise up to 4 feet along North Carolina.

Between 2 and 5 inches of rain have fallen in parts of southeastern North Carolina, including the Wilmington area, where a flash flood warning was in effect early Thursday, the National Weather Service said. Parts of Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Pender counties were under the warning.

Isolated tornadoes are also possible.

The storm earlier wreaked havoc as it smashed into Florida’s Big Bend area – between the panhandle and peninsula – near Keaton Beach, ripping off roofs and flooding homes as it pushed feet of seawater onshore along a wide swath of the state’s west coast.

Many places that bore the brunt “don’t necessarily have the resources” to handle such a powerful hurricane, said US Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who represents a South Florida district and used to lead the state’s Division of Emergency Management.

“This is a life-changing event for some of these counties.”

Officials urged thousands to evacuate before storm surge caused record-high water levels from Tampa Bay through the Big Bend. The storm also downed power lines and flooded parts of Georgia and South Carolina, including Charleston.

In Charleston, the storm tore down trees and led officials to close flooded roads, police said. Water also breached dunes at South Carolina’s Edisto Beach, the National Weather Service said.

TRACK IDALIA’S PATH

There was “one unconfirmed fatality” in Florida in the storm’s aftermath, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday.

Here are other developments from the storm as of early Thursday:

• Flood rescues: First responders rescued about 150 residents from flooded neighborhoods in Florida’s hard-hit Pasco County, north of Tampa, the county fire rescue chief said. Some areas saw water surges between 3 and 5 feet.

• Thousands of homes damaged: Between 4,000 and 6,000 homes were inundated with water in Florida’s Pasco County alone, according to county administrator Mike Carballa.

• Historic water levels: South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor saw water its waters spike to higher than 9 feet, making it the fifth-highest level ever recorded, the National Weather Service said. Cedar Key, East Bay Tampa, Clearwater Beach and St. Petersburg in Florida also experienced record storm surges.

• Thousands in the dark: As of early Thursday, about 150,000 homes and businesses were without power in Florida. Another 110,000 outages were in Georgia, about 50,000 were reported in the Carolinas, PowerOutage.us reported.

• Residents urged to stay indoors: Florida officials are urging residents to avoid being outdoors as cleanup and search efforts remain underway. Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett cited the dangers of downed trees and power lines.

• Boil water advisory: Some areas in DeSoto, Dixie, Leon, Levy, Marion and Taylor counties in Florida are under boil water notices issued by the state’s health department.

• Some school districts to reopen: At least 30 of 52 school districts that closed ahead of the storm will be open again Thursday, DeSantis said. Eight districts are set to reopen Friday.

• Over the Carolinas: Idalia’s center as of 5 a.m. ET was about 45 miles south-southwest of Wilmington, North Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and forecast to move just offshore of North Carolina’s coast later Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for South Santee River northward to the North Carolina-Virginia border, including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. A storm surge watch is in effect for Beaufort Inlet to Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina, as well as the Neuse and Pamlico rivers.

Storm surge impacts

Idalia is expected to maintain its tropical storm status as it moves off the East Coast Thursday morning. Heavy rainfall amounts over South and North Carolina “will continue to lead to areas of flash, urban, and moderate river flooding, with considerable impacts,” the hurricane center explained.

Meanwhile, central Florida could see an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain Thursday.

On Wednesday, storm surge whipped up by Idalia set records for highest water level in several locations in Florida.

In Cedar Key, an island town about 80 miles north of Tampa, storm surge reached 8.9 feet, surpassing the 5.99 feet record set in 2016 from Hurricane Hermine.

Storm surge in Tampa’s East Bay was 5.7 feet Wednesday, roughly 2 feet higher than record seen in 2020 from Tropical Storm Eta.

And in Clearwater Beach, storm surge from Idalia reached 5.2 feet, eclipsing the 4.02 feet from the 1993 “Storm of the Century” that also snowed in much of the East Coast.

This isn’t your regular bowl of pho.

Slow-cooked and simmered in broth for up to 48 hours, it’s served with tender short ribs and high-end ingredients like Wagyu beef slices, foie gras and shaved truffles – and topped off with an edible gold leaf. Duck fat is also added for extra richness.

The cost? A staggering $170 (4.1 million Vietnamese dong).

And only five bowls are served daily.

“Pho is Vietnam’s national dish, enjoyed anywhere and at any time of day… and I wanted to pay homage with this opulent new version,” said Le Trung, executive chef at the Oriental Pearl restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City.

The restaurant is located at the Vinpearl Landmark 81, Autograph Collection, which is the highest hotel in the country.

“This is my re-imagining of one of the world’s most popular dishes,” Trung said of his culinary creation. “Traditionally, pho has not been considered fine dining, but we have managed to enhance the flavors to make this version taste wonderfully rich and indulgent.”

Adding the gold leaf, Trung says, was to “elevate the dish aesthetically … so it does not simply look like an ordinary bowl of noodle soup.”

Arguably one of Vietnam’s most famous dishes, pho is eaten morning, noon and night and widely served across the country in homes, street stalls and restaurants.

While also beloved around the world, foodies and pho aficionados say the humble noodle dish reflects the cultural, political and economic changes of Vietnam.

At its most basic, it consists of plain rice noodles in beef or sometimes chicken broth, garnished with herbs and thinly sliced meat.

Served in alleyways and on street corners in Vietnamese cities, a typical bowl costs anywhere between $1.50 to $3.

Oriental Pearl’s indulgent pho bowl will set you back at least 50 times as much.

And it isn’t the only expensive offering in town.

Michelin-starred restaurant Anan Saigon, also located in Ho Chi Minh City, has offered an upscale take on pho using unconventional ingredients like caviar, Japanese sake, jellyfish and sturgeon slices – priced at $100, a bargain in comparison.

Trung believes his latest offering is the most indulgent bowl of pho in the world.

“We (wanted) to elevate this culinary classic to new levels of luxury and sophistication while also pushing the boundaries of Vietnamese cuisine,” Trung said.

“The result is a spectacular bowl of pho that lingers on the taste buds and in the memory.”