Governor Ron DeSantis has warned people to be prepared but not to panic as Hurricane Ian looks set to bring high winds, flash flooding, storm surges and possible tornadoes to Florida.

The storm officially became a Category 1 hurricane on Monday morning and is expected to strengthen as it moves toward Florida across the eastern Gulf of Mexico in the middle of this week.

The powerful system will affect the Cayman Islands and western Cuba this afternoon. “Efforts to protect life and property must be completed quickly,” warned the NHC (US National Hurricane Center). Classes have been suspended in the Cuban province of Pinar del Río and evacuations have been planned. Ian moved up in category as he approached Grand Cayman and the Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Río and Artemisa.

Florida’s governor provided an update on the state meteorologist during Monday’s briefing. He reported the storm was 375 miles (603 kilometers) south of Key West with sustained winds of 80 miles (129 kilometers) per hour.

He warned it would cause severe impacts across much of Florida’s Gulf Coast, with some impacts starting up to 36 hours before damage peaked.

“It’s a pretty big hurricane right now,” Governor DeSantis said. He added that the hurricane’s path was still uncertain, meaning it could “wobble” in or out of the peninsula.

Regardless, due to the size of the hurricane, storm surge watches and warnings have been put in place across Southwest Florida and some counties have already issued emergency orders. ‘evacuation.

The Florida Department of Transportation has suspended tolls on major freeways in Tampa to allow people to evacuate, and several school districts have canceled classes.

Some 5,000 National Guard members have mobilized in the state and deployed additional available troops to neighboring states of Georgia and Alabama.

DeSantis urged people not to panic when shopping, noting that essential resources like water were reaching major supermarket chains and gas stations were filling up.

He also warned people to be careful if using a generator and to keep it out of the house. In recent years, there have been several deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning during storms because people used generators inside their homes.

The governor will speak again Tuesday and may provide an additional briefing late Monday as the hurricane progresses.

As Florida prepares, Atlantic Canada is recovering from post-tropical cyclone Fiona, which made landfall in Nova Scotia on Saturday morning.

At least five deaths have been reported in the Caribbean and one death in Canada, officials said.

The body of a 73-year-old woman was found in the water after she went missing in Channel-Port Aux Basques, a town on the south coast of the Canadian province of Newfoundland.

Police said the woman was inside her residence moments before a wave hit the house on Saturday morning, ripping out part of the basement.

This is an ongoing story and is being updated.