WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (WTNH) — Some Connecticut residents visiting Florida scrambled to return home as Hurricane Idalia made landfall, but flight delays and cancellations made that challenging.

All flights to and from Tampa Bay International Airport are grounded due to the Category 3 storm making landfall.

The impacts of Idalia reached Bradley International Airport, canceling nearly a dozen flights to and from Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Tampa, and even beyond Florida, including Charleston and Savannah.

The Dubord’s 40th wedding anniversary trip in Siesta Key ended with an airport closure, an evacuation and canceled and delayed flights.

“We were supposed to fly out of Tampa last night,” Paula Dubord said. “Then they closed the airport at midnight the night before, so we had to scramble what are we going to do, but then we had friends in Orlando, so we drove up to Orlando and spent the night last night. We were supposed to leave this morning, but the crew didn’t show up, so we had a three-hour delay. Now we’re finally back home.

People arriving at Windsor Locks from the Sunshine State said they are grateful to be back home.

“Raining very heavy, I’ve seen houses flooding, all kinds of stuff,” West Haven resident Nasir Collins said.

“It was total downpours,” Joe Dubord said.

“In Orlando, when we woke up at 5 this morning, there were tornado warnings there,” Paula Dubord said. “Glad to be home!”

The American Red Cross in Connecticut told News 8 they have a team of seven volunteers helping Florida communities as Idalia made landfall Wednesday. The regional disaster officer in Tallahassee said they received word from officials late Wednesday afternoon they could leave their hotels and get out into the community after sheltering in place all morning.

The regional disaster officer in Tallahassee says they received word from officials late this afternoon they can leave their hotels and get out into the community after sheltering in place all morning.

“Flooding, you are going to see trees down,” Rebecca Johnson, the regional disaster officer for the Red Cross, said. “Once the ground gets saturated, the trees come down. You’ll see damage to homes, but it’s that flooding piece that’s going to keep people from going home. Lots of power outages here in Florida, so as they go out to do that damage assessment, we will see exactly where we are needed.”

Johnson said the Connecticut residents are heading to support evacuation shelters and distributing truckloads of supplies and meals, bringing hope after destruction.

“That symbol of we are here, standing in the gap with you,” Johnson said.

The Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region said five more volunteers are heading to Florida Thursday morning. However, it said they will have to fly into other area airports because Tampa will likely still be closed. 

The volunteers will be down in Florida for two weeks.