TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — During a meeting to thank first responders for working long hours in Hurricane Irma, Florida Governor Rick Scott said that all Floridians should carefully monitor Hurricane Maria.
Scott spoke Tuesday in Tampa, and said it appears that Maria will take a path east of Florida. Forecasters say the catastrophic Category 5 storm is continuing on its course toward the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Scott reminded people that Irma’s path shifted as it approached the U.S., and encouraged people to restock their hurricane kits, buy water and have an evacuation plan.
He also added that about two percent of the state’s electric customers are still without power due to Irma. Additionally, he said it’s important for property owners to drain standing water so mosquitoes don’t breed and transmit diseases.