(Tampa) All of Florida was on alert Tuesday when the hurricane Miltonapprehended for days, was a few hours from touching down. In gray and heavy weather, residents only had to wait to see what the storm had in store for them, described even before its passage as the “storm of the century” by American President Joe Biden.
“None of this will be there when we come back. It’s scary. »
Tuesday morning, Joanie Napolitano spoke with emotion about her small trailer transformed over the years into a house, which she and her husband intended to leave “between noon and 3 p.m.”.
Although the police had warned the couple that soon the hurricane would be too close for them to come back and tell them to evacuate, they still had “a thing or two to do.” Take photo albums, in particular. Pick up important papers.
“We are going to leave,” assured Mme Napolitano, a Boston native who has lived in this house for 15 years with her husband, Al.
She has seen other hurricanes. But not like Miltonwhich forced the evacuation of millions of Floridians.
“We’re not in a flood zone, but I think this time it’s different,” she said.
His immediate neighbor, Bill Maxson, also planned to leave his house bought a year ago, his retirement plan which risks blowing away.
“The house is made of wood, all that will be left of it are toothpicks,” predicted the 68-year-old.
Although the former trucker smiled as he said he should have stayed in Daytona, where he used to live, he nevertheless said he was “very sad”.
Because he too was going to evacuate. “I’m getting out of here,” Bill Maxson said, picking up canvases painted by his dead mother. “That’s all I have left of her,” the man added.
A united Florida
“ Stay safe »: this is the slogan that was exchanged everywhere in the Tampa region. The people we met at the hotel or in the few restaurants still open often looked worried. The anxiety of an entire state holding its breath was almost palpable.
Seeing five police cars blocking access to the small town of Belleair Shore that juts out into the sea, it was hard not to worry about the “few people” left there, according to Officer Mitchell, of Pinellas County.
“They were ordered to leave. If they leave, they cannot come back,” the police officer said.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The wind had barely picked up when this building in the historic center of Lakeland was already damaged.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Historic downtown Lakeland, several hours before Milton’s arrival.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
You had to be patient on Wednesday to refuel at the few service stations that remained open.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Rain and wind didn’t stop this Lakeland runner from going out on Wednesday.
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Not far from there, in front of the convenience store of a Chevron gas station whose pumps had been shut down for lack of gasoline, Bill was smoking a cigarillo.
He lives in a condo complex and wasn’t planning on leaving, even though the rain was beginning to fall more and more heavily.
“I’m scared, but taking the road where everyone is running out of gas… I’m on the second floor,” said the man, who seemed to want to reassure himself about his decision to stay.
The passage of the hurricane could radically raise the water level in the region. On Wednesday, Bill was already planning to have a barbecue in a few days with about twenty of his neighbors (“we have propane,” he said) and to pick up what the hurricane will have scattered.
It remains to be seen what will remain of his neighborhood. For days, American authorities have implored those living on the coast to leave, otherwise they could lose their lives.
“They say that every time…I don’t know. It’s so stressful to evacuate, I’ll have a heart attack and die if I take the road! »
The man walks away into the deserted parking lot with his umbrella.
“ Stay safe », he says.
A second blow, after Helene
For many Floridians, this evacuation is the second in a short time, as they are still struggling to recover from the passage ofHelene in the region at the end of September.
The home of Edward A. Coker and his wife Teresa Obispo was heavily damaged by Helene. They managed to save belongings that fit into a few trash bags, then were forced to temporarily relocate to their business premises, an old 1950s house in Tampa.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The population awaits the arrival of the hurricane Milton which will hit Florida in the Tampa area. The home of Edward A. Coker and his wife Teresa Obispo was heavily damaged by Helene.
They were preparing to move elsewhere again on Wednesday, since this house also risks being damaged by Milton.
This time, they rented an apartment on the third floor of a building, where they will wake up Thursday morning with the hope that this time, their home and business will have held up.