DeSantis’ home hit by tree during Hurricane Idalia.

A 100-Year-Old Oak Tree Falls on ‌Florida Governor’s ⁣Mansion After Hurricane Idalia

After Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Tallahassee, a 100-year-old oak tree toppled onto Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ family home—the governor’s⁢ mansion. The incident was ⁤confirmed by Mr. DeSantis’ wife, ‍Casey DeSantis, in a social media post. She reassured everyone that she and their three children were unharmed.

“A 100-year-old oak tree falls on ⁣the‌ Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee,”⁤ she wrote, in part. “Mason, Madison, Mamie⁤ and I ⁤were home at the time, but thankfully no one was injured. Our prayers are with everyone​ impacted by the ⁢storm.”

A photo captured⁣ the aftermath of the storm, showing a large tree split in half. Hurricane Idalia, a strong Category 3 storm with 125 mph ​winds, hit⁢ Florida’s Big Bend area. It has since been downgraded to a⁣ Category⁢ 1 storm as it moves over Georgia and the Carolinas.

Fortunately, Gov. ‍DeSantis was not at home ‍during‌ the incident ‌as he was attending a live news conference in Tallahassee. He confirmed that his wife‍ had called him to inform him of the fallen tree.

“If they do cut down the whole tree,‍ that’s ‍just gonna be more room for my kids to‍ hit baseballs in,” he told reporters, adding, “I don’t know that it fell on like the residence‌ per se. I think it was a little ⁣bit off ⁣to the side.”

In response to ⁣the storm, Gov. DeSantis canceled all his ⁣2024 presidential campaign events and focused on storm preparation and recovery efforts in Florida. He has been holding ⁢multiple press ⁤conferences per day across the state and declared a state of emergency.

Hurricane Update

As of 2 ​p.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center⁤ reported that Idalia, now a borderline Category 1 storm with⁤ 75⁢ mph winds, was moving across southeastern Georgia. River and ⁣flash flooding were expected in Georgia and the Carolinas ‌later⁤ in the day and Thursday. The⁤ storm is forecasted to hit South Carolina as a hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm as it⁢ passes over both‌ Carolinas and moves into the Atlantic Ocean.

With over 330,000 customers without electricity in Florida and Georgia, the​ storm‌ caused flooding in coastal areas.⁤ As the eye of⁣ the storm moved inland, high winds caused damage and destruction. Tragically, two deaths​ have ​been‌ reported so far.

The fire and rescue department on Cedar Key island warned ‌of multiple trees down‌ and‌ debris ​in the roads, urging people not‌ to⁣ come to the ‍area. They also reported propane ​tanks exploding on the island. Idalia made landfall in the lightly populated Big Bend‍ region, curving from the Florida Panhandle into​ the peninsula. While some models suggested it could circle back toward land, the National Hurricane Center predicts it will move further into ‍the Atlantic.

In Tallahassee, the capital city of Florida, power outages occurred before the storm’s ​center arrived. Mayor John Dailey ⁤advised everyone to shelter in‌ place. Coastal residents in vulnerable ‌areas had been ordered to evacuate as Idalia​ gained strength​ in the⁣ warm⁢ waters of the Gulf of ‌Mexico.

“Don’t put your life at risk by doing anything dumb at this point,” warned Gov. DeSantis at a news‍ conference. “This thing’s powerful.⁤ If you’re inside, just hunker down until it gets past you.”

Both Georgia Gov. ​Brian ⁢Kemp and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared states of emergency, mobilizing state resources and personnel, ⁢including National⁣ Guard troops. President Joe Biden ‍assured ​Gov. DeSantis that he ‍would⁢ provide‌ all ‌necessary​ assistance.

Last year, Hurricane Ian caused nearly 150 deaths as a Category 5 hurricane.