As Hurricane Ian continues its path toward Florida, some hospitals and nursing homes have evacuated patients as part of preparation efforts, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in western Cuba Sept. 27 as a category 3 storm. Heavy rainfall from the storm is expected to spread across Florida during the next couple of days, the National Hurricane Center tweeted.
The Twitter post added: "There is a moderate risk of excessive rainfall across much of the Florida peninsula, and significant flooding impacts are expected."
Ahead of the storm, Tampa General Hospital has announced some ambulatory location closures and canceled elective surgeries and procedures Sept. 28 and Sept. 29. The hospital has also built an AquaFence wall around the facility and lifted generators above the ground to ensure the hospital stays functional, according to The Weather Channel.
Additionally, about 40 patients were evacuated Sept. 26 from HCA Florida Pasadena Hospital, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The hospital's CEO, Brent Burish, told the newspaper most evacuated patients were taken to HCA Florida Trinity Hospital in Pasco County. HCA also suspended services and evacuated patients from hospitals in South Tampa and West Tampa, as well as from its Central Tampa emergency facility, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., also announced that the main hospital in St. Petersburg remains open but will postpone elective surgical procedures Sept. 27-30. The hospital also said outpatient care locations will be closed Sept. 27 through at least Sept. 29.
The Tampa Bay Times reported that some Tampa Bay nursing homes in flood hazard zones Sept. 26 were also preparing to evacuate residents to other facilities.