SUMMARY
Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday blasting Florida with winds near 125 miles an hour and a wall of water that caused heavy flooding. Thousands chose to get out of harm's way, while others hunkered down for the first major storm to strike the state this year. So far, officials reported two rain-related traffic deaths.
For a transcript of this story, click here.
News wrap alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM UP QUESTIONS
- When and Where did Idalia hit Florida?
- What has been some of the impact of the storm in Florida?
- Who has been most impacted by the storm?
- How powerful is a Category 3 hurricane? How is it measured?
- Why did the storm become more powerful before reaching Florida?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How do you think states like Florida can prepare for more and more powerful storms in the future?
News analysis: What else would you like to know about the storm that wasn't covered in this story? How can you find out?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more?
FOR MORE
What students can do: Watch the following video interview with a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator and make a list of ways the federal government is helping people in Florida. Then discuss — what are ways citizens can help beyond the help offered by government agencies? What can citizens do that the federal government cannot?
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