(Fort Lauderdale) The hurricane Milton turns out to be more virulent than expected. Initially classified as category 3, it was reassessed to 5 on Monday and is heading towards the Tampa region. The whole of Florida is on alert again, two weeks after the passage of Helene.
What you need to know
Initially classified as category 3, the hurricane Milton would ultimately be category 5, the highest level.
Milton leaves the Gulf of Mexico, moving northeast toward Florida, which is expected to be the only U.S. state affected.
Florida expected to see its largest evacuations since the hurricane Irma, in 2017.
The United States is barely recovering from the passage of Helenecausing the deaths of nearly 230 Americans.
Monday morning, Milton was a Category 4 storm, with winds of 250 km/h over the southern Gulf of Mexico. The system is expected to weaken slightly before making landfall. It should only affect Florida, if the trend continues.
The Hurricane will reach the United States two weeks later Helenewhose passage caused 230 deaths. Faced with this recent tragedy, the citizens of Naples, 265 kilometers from Tampa, are “very worried,” notes Quebecer Jacques Julien, who has lived in the region for 37 years. “We see that citizens have resilience, discipline. When it comes, they are used to listening to instructions very seriously. »
For more than 25 years, Mr. Julien lived near the sea. Two major floods in the area in which he lived pushed him to move 10 kilometers from the shore. The hurricane Helene will have confirmed his decision. “There is still plenty of furniture in the street that the authorities have not had time to collect, which will still be found floating afterwards Milton. It’s a nightmare,” he says.
PHOTO BRYAN R. SMITH, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Debris left by the hurricane Helene crowd into a street before the hurricane’s expected arrival Milton midweek in Treasure Island, Florida on October 7, 2024.
There was also the hurricane Irmain 2017, which caused the death of three people and forced the evacuation of nearly 7 million citizens. The sudden exodus had blocked highways and caused major wait times at gas stations. Audrey Foy, a Quebecer who lives in Fort Lauderdale, remembers it well.
“It was scary,” says the woman who has lived in Fort Lauderdale with her family since 2006. “There were trees falling, a lot of windy rain. We did well, lacking electricity for just one day. But after experiencing this, we make sure we are well informed to understand how it will affect us Milton. »
In Fort Lauderdale, several elementary schools will close during the days of Wednesday and Thursday, to accommodate residents from regions that will be more severely affected by Milton. Although Fort Lauderdale should be spared the most severe repercussions of Miltoncitizens are preparing for the worst.
“People are starting to panic,” notes M.me Faith. There are no more generators for sale in stores, people are filling their cars with supplies, like propane tanks in case they run out of electricity. »
M’s familyme Foy had already benefited from sand pockets offered free of charge by the city to protect its patio door from potential flooding.
About fifteen kilometers to the south, Nancy Côté and Jean-Guy Slevan are closely following the most recent developments in their boat. “We have been spending our winters in our boat for several years, but we never get used to this type of situation,” shares Mme Side.
NOAA IMAGE, PROVIDED BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows the hurricane MiltonOctober 7, 2024.
The couple was heading to Florida on Saturday, before experiencing the threat of the hurricane Milton. They came to do routine checks on their two boats. They fear that the rising water level will damage their boats.
“The moorings could be too tight, so we monitor the situation closely to be sure that nothing bad happens,” explains Jean-Guy Slevan.
A storm surge of 8 to 12 feet could reach Tampa Bay, along with an accumulation of 5 to 10 inches of rain over mainland Florida and the Keys, with up to 15 inches in places .
Florida will be affected by MiltonFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis bluntly assured. “I don’t think there’s a scenario where we don’t have major impacts at this point,” he said. Under the circumstances, the governor asked residents to be prepared in case of power outages, and to have a week’s supply of food and water.
Florida will see its largest evacuation since the hurricane Irmapredicts for his part the director general of the State Emergency Management Division, Kevin Guthrie.