Florida Gov. DeSantis expands state of emergency for Tallahassee, North Florida

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday expanded to 15 the number of counties now under a state of emergency with another uppercut of severe weather after last Friday's body shot that included three tornadoes touching down in central Tallahassee.

The order comes as the new round of severe weather wreaks more havoc on north Florida and threatens to derail a massive recovery effort that reduced the number of people out of power in Tallahassee to under 10,000.

The new list of counties is now Baker, Columbia, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla.

DeSantis, who was scheduled to appear in Coral Gables later in the day, amended an executive order he had issued on Friday.

Read the new and amended executive order

STATE OF FLORIDA

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 24-95

(Amending Executive Order 24-94, Emergency Management – May North Florida Tornadoes)

WHEREAS, on May 10, 2024, I issued Executive Order 24-94, declaring a state of emergency for several counties across North Florida due to the dangers presented by an intense thunderstorm that caused numerous tornadoes and strong wind gusts across North Florida; and

WHEREAS, thousands of Floridians in North Florida have lost power and are further impacted due to the widespread debris caused by the tornadoes, strong winds and heavy rain; and

WHEREAS, as the Governor of Florida, I am responsible to meet the dangers presented to the State of Florida and its people by this emergency.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ron DeSantis, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution and by the Florida Emergency Management Act, as amended, and all other applicable laws, promulgate the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:

Section 1. Section l of Executive Order 24-94 is amended to read as follows:

Because of the foregoing conditions, which are expected to constitute a major disaster, I declare that a state of emergency exists in Baker, Columbia, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties.

Section 2. Except as amended herein, Executive Order 24-94 is ratified and reaffirmed.

Section 3. This Executive Order is effective immediately and shall expire upon the expiration of Executive Order 24-94.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, this 13th day of May, 2024.

Read Friday's story: DeSantis declares state of emergency for Tallahassee, North Florida

News Director Jim Rosica can be reached at jrosica@tallahassee.com. Follow him on X: @JimRosicaFL.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis expands state of emergency for Tallahassee, North Florida