Hurricane Idalia lashes Florida, then weakens and turns fury on Georgia

People wade through flood waters after Hurricane Idalia passed to the north, in St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. August 30, 2023. REUTERS/Joey Roulette

PERRY, Florida (Reuters) - Hurricane Idalia plowed into Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday with howling winds, torrential rains and pounding surf, then weakened as it turned its fury on southeastern Georgia, where floodwaters trapped some residents in their homes.

Hours after Idalia slammed ashore as a powerful Category 3 hurricane at Keaton Beach in Florida's Big Bend region, packing winds of about 125 mph (201 kph), authorities were still trying to assess the full extent of damage in the hardest-hit areas.