By Merve Berker
ANKARA (AA) – Hurricane Idalia claimed two lives as heavy rains lashed the US state of Florida, local media reported Thursday.
The first victim was a 59-year-old man who drove a pickup truck into a ditch, said CNN citing Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Sgt. Steve Gaskins.
The second fatality was of a 40-year-old man who was speeding and lost control of his truck, the highway patrol said.
Idalia made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region early Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 hurricane but has since been downgraded to a Category 1 storm. It is currently making its way through Georgia where the National Hurricane Center is warning flash and river flooding is likely, as well as in the eastern Carolinas, through Thursday.
More than 4,400 people have taken refuge at shelters established by the American Red Cross, according to data on the humanitarian organization's website. Over 245,000 residents are without power as Idalia traverses the state, according to Poweroutage.us.