Hurricane Idalia batters Key West resort

Hurricane Idalia battered a resort on the Florida island of Key West.

Storm Idalia strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday, 29 August and is expected to rapidly intensify before making landfall along the western coast of Florida on Wednesday.

Idalia is expected to be a historic event with “life-threatening” storm surges of up to 15 feet from tonight into Wednesday in the Big Bend area, according to authorties.

The latest National Weather Service update for Key West states: “A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for the Lower Florida Keys, from the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge through Key West.”