Amazon has confirmed that it is temporarily halting operations at some of its sites as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida.
The Category 5 hurricane is predicted to make landfall in southeastern Florida on Wednesday afternoon. It is already bringing destructive winds and rain to the region.
“We’re actively watching Hurricane Ian’s approach and making modifications to our processes to keep our workers and those delivering for us safe,” said Richard Rocha, an Amazon representative, in a recent statement
We communicate with our staff and delivery partners on a regular basis to ensure that everyone is informed of any site closures or dangerous situations, and we will continue to make improvements as needed.” Rocha elaborated.
Amazon had already closed warehouses between Tampa and Orlando, according to CNBC. According to notifications provided to staff, Amazon anticipates the facilities to remain shuttered until Friday.
Amazon refuses to provide particular geographical information.
Employees who are scheduled to work will continue to be paid while the locations are shuttered. In the Tampa region, there are about 8,000 full-time and part-time Amazon employees.
Other large firms in the Florida area have also announced changes to their operations as a result of the hurricane’s approach. On Wednesday and Thursday, the Orlando theme parks Disney World and Universal Resort will be temporarily closed. Flight cancellations at Florida airports have also been connected to the hurricane.