Airlink's Impact
Reports
Situation overview
Airlink has swiftly initiated its response efforts in the face of Hurricane Idalia, a formidable Category 3 hurricane that made a forceful landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast on the morning of August 30th. The impact has been marked by a dangerous storm surge and relentless maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour, posing severe threats to life and safety. This alarming situation has prompted the issuance of hurricane and tropical storm warnings throughout the state and evacuation orders for specific areas along Florida’s western coastline. An emergency declaration covers 49 of 67 Florida counties.
The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated, as Hurricane Idalia has the potential to unleash storm surge heights of up to 12-16 feet in certain areas, imperiling lives and property. The impending dangers extend beyond Florida’s borders, with projections indicating the likelihood of flooding stemming from storm surges and the emergence of tornadoes in parts of both Georgia and South Carolina.
In Florida, key bridges have been effectively closed off, including those crucially linking St. Petersburg to the mainland of Florida. Road access to smaller barrier islands has been halted too. Extensive power outages are impacting 270,000 residences, businesses, and other power-dependent entities in Florida, accompanied by an additional 40,000 affected in Georgia. Within Florida, 4,500 individuals are seeking refuge in designated shelters within the affected regions, as per the latest data compiled by the Red Cross on Wednesday.
It is important to note that thousands of people within the storm’s path are still recovering from Hurricane Ian and that destruction is possible far behind Idalia’s forecast cone.
Disaster Response. Step One.
Get There.Â
Airlink is working with its NGO and airline partners to provide free-of-charge flights for responding personnel to reach affected communities. These personnel include emergency responders, health professionals, logisticians, and additional programmatic staff.
The first Airlink-sponsored partner will be Crisis Relief & Recovery. CRR will be supporting communities in need and those vulnerable due to socioeconomic difficulties or other barriers. Airlink is assisting CRR in deploying an ADVON team to rapidly assess and determine priority needs for communities affected by the hurricane.Â
For more than a decade, Airlink has amassed a wealth of expertise in effectively responding to Atlantic hurricanes, most recently including Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Ida.Â
Communities in Hurricane Idalia's path urgently need our help
Can we count on your support to help us swiftly deliver the vital aid and assistance to impacted communities in need?Â
Response Partners
