Hurricane Milton, a “potentially catastrophic” category four storm, is closing in for a direct hit on Florida’s Gulf coast.
Milton has weakened slightly from a category five, but is still packing ferocious winds of up to 145mph (233km/h) after brushing past the northern edge of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.
The storm is expected to slam into the heavily populated city of Tampa Bay with full force on Wednesday, less than two weeks after the state was hit by Hurricane Helene.
Floridians have been told to prepare for the state’s largest evacuation effort in years.
On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis said that thousands of members of Florida’s National Guard were being activated, and that additional petrol and diesel supplies were being provided to fuel stations.
The governor added that Florida had prepared dozens of shelters to help house residents left stranded in the storm.
“We have one of the sites that can do 10 000,” he said in a news briefing. “Others will do multiple thousands. But these are designed to be a shelter of last resort.”
He said on Monday that the storm looked like it was going to be a “monster”.
The White House said on Tuesday that President Joe Biden had cancelled a planned visit to Germany and Angola to oversee preparations for Milton, in addition to ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.
Just ten days ago Hurricane Helene – the deadliest mainland storm since Katrina in 2005 – pummelled the US south-east, killing at least 225 people. Hundreds more are missing.
At least 14 of those deaths were in Florida, where 51 of 67 counties are now under emergency warnings as Milton approaches.
While the hurricane weakened on Tuesday morning, the National Hurricane Center warned that it could double in size before striking Florida on Wednesday.
“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the update said.
Early on Tuesday, winds from the hurricane weakened to 145mph, down from 180mph the night before.
Hurricanes are separated into five categories based on their wind speed.
Those reaching category three and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Hurricane Center has warned that life-threatening storm surges and damaging winds along portions of Florida’s west coast were possible from late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Rainfall totals could reach localised highs of 15in (38cm), and coastal areas could see storm surges of 10-15ft (3-4.5m).
“Use today as your day to finalise and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family,” DeSantis told residents on Tuesday. (BBC)
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