(Fort Lauderdale) Milton strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane Monday as the storm heads toward populated areas like Tampa and Orlando, which could lead to Florida’s largest evacuation in seven years.
The hurricane Milton became a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 193 km/h over the southern Gulf of Mexico. Storm surge and hurricane watches for parts of Florida, as well as a hurricane warning for coastal Mexico, were issued, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Although forecast models vary widely, the most likely path suggests that Milton could make landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida to the Atlantic Ocean.
NOAA IMAGE, PROVIDED BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
This National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite image taken at 11:36 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, 2024, shows the hurricane Milton in the Atlantic Ocean.
This would largely spare other southeastern states ravaged by Helenewhich caused catastrophic damage from Florida to Appalachia and caused the deaths of at least 230 people.
The Mexican government has issued a hurricane warning for the Yucatán Peninsula, from Celestún to Río Lagartos, the center said.
About seven million people were asked to evacuate Florida in 2017 when the hurricane Irma fell on the state. The exodus had blocked highways and caused queues of several hours at gas stations that still had fuel. The event had frustrated many evacuees, some of whom had vowed not to evacuate again.
Drawing on lessons learned fromIrma and other previous storms, Florida is setting up emergency fuel reserves for gasoline-powered vehicles and charging stations for electric vehicles along evacuation routes, said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, during a press briefing Sunday.
“We’re looking at every potential and possible location that can potentially accommodate someone, what we call in emergency management, a shelter of last resort,” Mr. Guthrie added.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday that while it remains to be seen where Milton will hit, it is clear that the state is going to be hit hard.
I don’t think there’s a scenario where we don’t have major impacts at this point.
Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida
“You have time to prepare – all day today, all day Monday, probably all day Tuesday – to make sure your hurricane preparedness plan is in place,” the governor said. DeSantis.
Large-scale preparations
With the arrival of Milton to hurricane status, this is the first time the Atlantic has experienced three simultaneous hurricanes after September, according to Phil Klotzbach, a hurricane expert at Colorado State University. There were four simultaneous hurricanes in August and September.
The St. Petersburg-Tampa Bay area is still cleaning up the extensive damage caused by Helene and its powerful storm surge. Twelve people died when Helene submerged the coast, with the most severe damage occurring along the narrow 20-mile chain of barrier islands that stretches from St. Petersburg to Clearwater.
PHOTO OCTAVIO JONES, REUTERS
A view of nearly empty toilet paper shelves at a Walmart as the hurricane hits Milton prepares to make landfall, in Tampa, Florida, on October 6, 2024.
DeSantis expanded his state of emergency declaration Sunday to 51 counties and said Floridians should prepare for more power outages and disruptions by ensuring they have a week’s worth of food and water and they are ready to hit the road.
“We are preparing […] to the largest evacuation we have experienced, most likely since 2017, hurricane Irma », specified Kevin Guthrie.
As many as 4,000 National Guard troops are helping state crews remove debris, Mr. DeSantis said, and he ordered Florida teams sent to North Carolina after Helene to return in preparation for Milton.
FEMA is also preparing
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell defended her agency’s response to hurricane destruction Heleneafter Republicans’ false claims, amplified by former President Donald Trump, created a misinformation frenzy in devastated communities.
“This kind of rhetoric doesn’t help people and it’s a shame that we’re putting politics ahead of helping people,” Ms.me Criswell to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.
Despite this, Mme Criswell said the agency is already preparing for Miltonwell before it is known exactly where the storm will move across the Florida peninsula.
Federal disaster aid has exceeded $137 million since Helene hit more than a week ago, one of the largest mobilizations of personnel and resources in recent history, FEMA said Sunday.
According to FEMA, the White House and the Department of Defense, some 1,500 active-duty troops, more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and nearly 7,000 federal workers have been deployed, shipping more than 14.9 million meals, 13.9 million liters of water, 157 generators and 505,000 tarps, as well as the approval of more than US$30 million for housing and other assistance to more than 27,000 households.
“My administration is sparing no resources to support families as they begin their journey to rebuilding,” President Joe Biden said. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with local and state leaders, regardless of political party and however long it takes. »