TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order on Wednesday expanding an emergency declaration for the state ahead of an expected landfall by Eta, which weakened to a tropical storm after becoming a hurricane Wednesday.
The governor had issued a state of emergency for a number of counties in South Florida. On Wednesday, the order was amended to include Alachua, Broward, Citrus, Collier, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hendry, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Sumter counties.
The governor said he’s also sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting an emergency declaration for Eta, and asked FEMA to give the state a pre-landfall emergency declaration.
Eta is holding steady as a Category 1 hurricane about 145 miles south-southwest of Tampa. It’s expected to hit the west-central coast of Florida Wednesday night and move inland over the Florida peninsula Thursday.
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