TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Gov. Ron DeSantis has expanded the state of emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Eta's landfall in 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 initial issuance covered several counties in South Florida.
DeSantis said Wednesday that he has also sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting an emergency declaration for Eta.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds decreased Wednesday afternoon to around 70 mph off Florida’s southwest coast. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami issued a hurricane watch for a 120-mile stretch that includes Tampa and St. Petersburg.