Ian powers up to a Category 4 hurricane as it nears Florida

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., (AP) — The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Ian has become an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane as it prepares to slam into southwest Florida on Wednesday.

The hurricane now has top winds of 140 mph and is pushing a storm surge that could cause catastrophic damage along the state’s heavily populated Gulf Coast from Bonita Beach to the Tampa Bay region.

Forecasters say the stretch from Naples to Sarasota is at highest risk. At least 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate.

Winds and rain have begun intensifying, a day after Ian battered the western tip of Cuba, leaving the entire island without electricity.

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