Florida residents rush to complete their emergency preparations ahead of the potentially strong storm of the century, Hurricane Milton.
According to BBC, millions of people in Florida evacuated to safe places as the category five hurricane is expected to make landfall in the state on Wednesday night, October 9, 2024, less than two weeks after deadly Hurricane Helene.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that Milton is an “extremely dangerous hurricane.” It could hit the metropolitan city of Tampa, which has a population of over three million people.
Currently, hurricane Milton has packed strong winds of up to 165mph (270km/h). It is expected that the worst storm of the century would raise floodwater to 10-15ft (3-4.5m) and rainfall up to 1.5 ft.
NHC early on Wednesday announced, “Fluctuations in intensity are likely while Milton moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but Milton is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of Florida.”
Moreover, US President Joe Biden also urged citizens to evacuate, saying, “I've urged everyone, everyone currently located in Hurricane Milton's path to listen to local officials and follow safety instructions. If you're under evacuation orders, you should evacuate now, now, you should have already evacuated. It's a matter of life and death."
The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, said that in the wake of a “monster” storm, officials have prepared dozens of shelters outside the evacuation zones for the help of stranded residents.
