Florida man's body identified days after he went missing during Hurricane Idalia on September 6
MERRIT ISLAND, FLORIDA: Officials have announced the death of Greggory Johnston, who had gone missing during Hurricane Idalia. Johnston was identified on Wednesday, September 6, after being recovered on August 31, as per Fox News.
Johnston disappeared off the coast of Florida's Space Coast on the day following Hurricane Idalia's landfall, which had unleashed winds at a speed of 125 mph (201 kph) the previous week.
How did windsurfer Greggory Johnston die?
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement disclosed that a medical examiner's report revealed Johnston's cause of death as drowning while windsurfing during a tropical storm warning.
The authorities managed to recover Johnston's windsurfing board and sail on the eastern shore of the Banana River, across from Kelly Park, on the morning of August 31.
The search for Johnston commenced when his car was located in the vicinity of Kelly Park.
What part of Florida did Idalia hit?
As per Bay News 9, Idalia struck the Big Bend region of northern Florida, yet its storm surge inundated the streets of Gulf Port, Shore Acres in St Pete, and various other locations within Pinellas County.
Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane on August 30, subsequently diminishing in intensity as it advanced through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
On September 2, around 5 pm, the National Hurricane Center issued its final advisory for Idalia, declaring it a post-tropical cyclone that had moved away from Bermuda, thus discontinuing the storm warning for the island.
How many people have died from Idalia?
It has now been confirmed that the 60-year-old is the second fatality attributed to Hurricane Idalia in Florida.
In addition to Johnston's tragic incident, another death in Florida linked to Hurricane Idalia was confirmed by the state's 25 local district medical examiners, but detailed information was not disclosed.
Furthermore, a man in Valdosta, Georgia, lost his life when a tree fell on him while he was attempting to clear another tree obstructing the road, according to the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office.
How much damage did Idalia cause?
The hurricane left a path of destruction, affecting residences and businesses and resulting in an estimated $9.36 billion in damages, based on initial assessments by the risk analysis firm UBS.
In the meantime, Accuweather projected that the overall damage could range between $18 billion and $20 billion.
Idalia also caused extensive flooding and devastation in the town of Steinhatchee, Florida.
The National Weather Service reported an 8-foot rise in the river coursing through the town on the morning of August 30th, causing severe inundation in a location situated less than 20 miles from Idalia's landfall.
