As Florida prepares for the impact of Hurricane Ian, social media users and tourists are under fire for ignoring evacuation orders and boasting about it online.
More than 2.5 million Floridians have been placed under evacuation orders with the storm on track to make landfall on Wednesday.
The US National Hurricane Center has predicted that Ian could become a catastrophic category 5 hurricane with winds up to 155mph (250kph) before roaring ashore on Florida’s southwest coast.
Hurricane-force winds were expected in Florida well in advance of the storm’s eyewall moving inland.
“You need to get to higher ground, you need to get to structures that are safe,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said late on Tuesday.
He added that widespread power outages would leave millions without electricity once the storm strikes.
However, several Floridians are choosing to ignore the advice and evacuation orders.
On Tuesday, children were seen playing in the ocean in Florida’s Key West even as flooding and rough waters already started ahead of Hurricane Ian, reported CBS.
Videos on social media platforms like TikTok showed many users saying that they will stay despite evacuation orders.
One user posted on TikTok: “I have no evacuation plan except for thugging it out. I’m going to post updates until I drown or survive,” reported the Daily Mail.
Captain Ken Gamble told the outlet that he is saying put in Treasure Beach through Hurricane Ian, after living there for 55 years.
He said that he has “never left for a storm and isn’t starting now” claiming it “won’t be as bad as they say.”
Influencers were also seen shooting videos to post online, even as warning orders were issued by authorities.
Florida’s director of emergency management Kevin Guthrie said during a news briefing on Tuesday evening that “the time to evacuate is now”.
“Get on the road,” he said urging residents to heed evacuation warnings.
