Residents of Florida were urgently informed on Sunday about the impending threat of Hurricane Milton, expected to escalate into a major hurricane and make landfall midweek on the Gulf Coast. Current forecasts suggest it could hit the Tampa Bay area by Wednesday, remaining a hurricane as it travels across central Florida into the Atlantic. This trajectory might spare other southeastern states recently devastated by Hurricane Helene, which left 230 dead from its catastrophic impacts.
Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized the need for preparation, urging residents along Florida’s west coast to anticipate evacuation orders. Communities around St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay, already recovering from extensive damage caused by Helene, are particularly vulnerable. DeSantis expanded the state of emergency to 51 counties and advised Floridians to brace for power outages and travel disruptions, encouraging stockpiling a week’s worth of food and water.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is coordinating with state officials and has briefed President Joe Biden on resource deployment plans. Kevin Guthrie, director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, warned of potentially the largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017.
Precautionary measures include closing schools in Pinellas County through Wednesday and opening Tampa’s city garages for flood-safe parking. Meanwhile, 4,000 National Guard troops are aiding in debris removal, and all available state resources are activated in preparation for Milton’s arrival.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell addressed misinformation regarding the agency’s response to past hurricanes, emphasizing the focus on cooperation with state requirements ahead of Milton’s impact. Milton’s center was positioned 815 miles from Tampa on Sunday afternoon, with winds reaching 80 mph.
While monitoring Milton, Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the Florida Keys, and the northwestern Bahamas have been advised to stay vigilant. Concurrently, Hurricane Kirk weakened to a Category 2 in the Atlantic, contributing hazardous surf conditions from Bermuda to Canada.
Original Story https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/06/tropical-storm-milton-forms-in-gulf-of-mexico-and-could-intensify-to-hurricane-threatening-florida.html
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