Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Saturday that a state of emergency for Florida's coastal counties had been approved as Hurricane Isaias neared.

Isaias strengthened slightly as it lashed the Bahamas on Saturday, bearing down on Florida and was expected to approach the southeast of the state later in the day before traveling up the eastern U.S. seaboard.

Isaias was carrying top sustained winds of 140 kph and was located about 125 km south-southeast of the Bahamas capital Nassau at 5 a.m. heading northwest, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm, a Category 1 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, prompted authorities in parts of Florida to close COVID-19 testing sites and people to stock up on essentials.

Isaias was expected to deliver heavy rains to the state's Atlantic coast beginning late Friday before hitting the eastern Carolinas by early next week, the NHC said.

MORE: https://globalnews.ca/news/7243497/hurricane-isaias-bahamas-florida/

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