Wednesday morning Idalia update: Officials ask residents to stay home, provide information about reporting issues

Staff report from multiple press releases

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Hurricane Idalia made landfall and is moving north. Outer bands from Idalia are moving through Alachua County and will continue to do so through the morning and early afternoon. Idalia is now expected to be a wind event in our area. We may experience periods of extreme wind from the storm’s outer bands over the next several hours. Falling trees and downed power lines are still a concern, as is the possibility of tornadoes. Residents are urged to stay inside even during calm periods as new bands may move into the area.

The total cumulative rainfall is expected to be in the 4 to 6-inch range.

Residents should stay safe and not leave their homes so that public safety and public works personnel can react to damage. Downed powerlines and trees are creating dangerous hazards. Residents who are staying in shelters or have otherwise evacuated their homes are urged to remain in place until the storm has completely passed.

Stay away from power lines. 

• Watch out for fallen power lines that may be hanging overhead. 
• Stay clear of fallen power lines. Call the electric company to report them. 

Learn more about staying safe after the storm.

If you feel you have a life-threatening or dangerous situation, call 911. For non-emergencies, call 352-955-1818. 

Find your provider to report power outages and view outage maps online.

Gainesville residents

• Report power outage or downed power lines: Call 352-334-2871 to report an outage or downed power line to GRU. An automated system will record your information and GRU will dispatch repair crews as soon as possible.
• Report urgent issues: To report downed trees, blocked streets, or other issues that require prompt attention, please call 352-334-5070 or use the myGNV mobile or online application at myGNV.org.
• Check status: View the status of storm-related Public Works service requests or work orders on the Service Request Viewer at requestviewer.gnvgis.org.

It is important to be safe after the storm.   

You can find all the latest information for Alachua County by going to alachuacountyready.com, Facebook, X, Instagram, and Nextdoor.

If you don’t have internet access or need additional information, dial 311 from your phone. If you live outside Alachua County or cannot dial 311, call 352-264-6557. 

To receive all updates on County operations in response to Hurricane Idalia, please text ALACHUA to 888-777. 

You can check the latest forecast at weather.gov/jax.