Tampa: As Hurricane Milton intensified into a Category 5 storm on Monday, residents of Florida rushed to brace for its arrival near Tampa. The storm threatens to bring devastating winds, life-threatening storm surges, and heavy rainfall to the Gulf Coast, marking the second time in two weeks the area faces a powerful hurricane.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Milton, now one of the strongest storms of the season, was located about 735 miles (1,183 km) southwest of Tampa. The hurricane was packing sustained winds of up to 160 mph (257 kph) as it churned through the Gulf of Mexico. The NHC expects the storm to shift northeast on Tuesday, heading towards the densely populated Tampa-St. Petersburg region, with landfall predicted for late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm. After crossing the Florida Peninsula, it is expected to move into the Atlantic.
The NHC warned of a storm surge up to 10 feet (3 meters), wind gusts reaching 140 mph, and as much as 15 inches (38 cm) of rainfall in some areas along the Florida coast.
“It’s going to be powerful, so please take the appropriate precautions,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated in a news briefing after issuing a state of emergency for 51 counties. “This has the potential to cause a lot of damage.”
President Joe Biden also declared an emergency for Florida, enabling federal disaster relief efforts to be deployed.
Relief efforts are still ongoing across the southeastern U.S. in the wake of Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that claimed over 200 lives across six states. Helene was the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which resulted in nearly 1,400 deaths.
As Milton approaches, predictions of an especially intense Atlantic hurricane season are proving accurate. The storm is the ninth hurricane of the season, with six forming since September 9. Milton is the second Atlantic storm to reach Category 5 status, following Hurricane Beryl in July, which was the earliest storm to achieve this distinction.
Also Read | Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar Reportedly Alive After Israeli Strike
By Monday, around 6.5 million people across Florida, from Tallahassee to Miami, were under hurricane, storm surge, and flood advisories. Local authorities issued evacuation orders in several counties, with more expected to follow later in the day.
“If they have issued an evacuation order, I beg you, I implore you, to evacuate,” Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie urged.
Also Read | One Year of Gaza War | War Brews Where Chaos Reigns, and Peace Thrives Where Humanity Prevails
Florida has already mobilized resources in preparation for Milton’s impact, including truckloads of food, water, generators, and gasoline. Shelters are being readied, and heavy-duty vehicles have been deployed to clear storm debris. Additionally, 5,000 National Guard troops have been placed on standby, DeSantis announced.
The storm is also expected to bring heavy rain to Mexico’s eastern coast on Monday and Tuesday, with torrential downpours anticipated in Campeche and Yucatan as Milton nears the port of Progreso. In response, Yucatan Governor Joaquín Diaz Mena suspended classes from 1 p.m. on Monday. Authorities in Merida urged residents to stock up on essential supplies as the storm approaches.
