Hurricane Idalia weakens to a tropical storm after slamming Florida as a powerful hurricane

PERRY, Fla. (AP) — Idalia lost steam and weakened to a tropical storm Wednesday after slamming into Florida as a powerful hurricane hours earlier.

The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory says the storm was centered west of Savannah, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon and had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. Hurricane force winds are at least 74 mph.

Idalia roared ashore early Wednesday with 125 mph winds, unleashing devastation along a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, submerging homes and vehicles, turning streets into rivers, unmooring small boats and downing power lines before sweeping into Georgia.

Almost 438,000 customers in Florida and Georgia lost power while rushing water covered streets near the coast. As the eye moved inland, high winds shredded signs, sent sheet metal flying and snapped tall trees.

This is the latest update. AP’s earlier story follows below: