BATON ROUGE, La. — Governor John Bel Edwards said on Wednesday morning that he has offered state resources to the governor of Florida as Hurricane Ian's winds approach the state.
Edwards added in a statement on social media that the Louisiana National Guard was heading to Florida to help.
"As Hurricane Ian approaches Florida, I have spoken with Governor Ron DeSantis and offered Louisiana's resources, personnel, and expertise," Edwards said. "We are also prepared to send additional help once damage assessment begins."
Hurricane Ian is a strong Category 4 storm with 155-mile-per-hour winds, just two mph short of a Category 5.
The storm became a major hurricane in the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Ian was projected by meteorologists to impact the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle most intensely, including major cities like Tampa and the state capital of Tallahassee.
Governor DeSantis warned residents of Sarasota, a coastal city, of the storm's threat to the state.
"It is going to kick up a lot of water as it comes in," DeSantis said. "You're going to end up with really significant flood events. And this is the kind of storm surge that is life-threatening."
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