Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, charting a menacing path toward the U.S. state of Florida. With maximum sustained winds reaching approximately 233 kilometers per hour, Milton threatens to unleash a dangerous storm surge in Tampa Bay, prompting widespread evacuation orders and causing long lines at gas stations as residents brace for impact.
The impending landfall adds urgency to recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, which devastated the same coastal areas less than two weeks ago. Communities are still grappling with the aftermath of Helene, making the approach of another powerful storm particularly alarming.
At a press briefing on Monday, Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center, emphasized the severity of the situation. “Milton is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge as high as 4.6 meters,” he warned.
Milton is forecasted to make landfall on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday evening, weakening slightly to a Category 3 storm. However, officials caution that this does not diminish the potential for significant destruction. The storm is expected to barrel across Florida, impacting major cities like Tampa and Orlando overnight into Thursday.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents not to be complacent. “Do not rely on the storm weakening,” he said. “Milton will cause significant destruction regardless.”
The first hurricane and storm surge warnings have been issued via email to residents in several counties, including Pinellas, Manatee, Pasco, Charlotte, Citrus, and Hillsborough. The warnings indicate that Milton’s impacts could be “devastating to catastrophic,” with the potential for even sturdy buildings to suffer complete roof and wall failures, leaving some areas “uninhabitable for weeks or months.”
Residents are being urged to follow checklists from local or state emergency management departments to ensure they are fully prepared for the storm’s arrival.
The approach of Hurricane Milton highlights the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, prompting concerns among global communities about climate resilience and disaster preparedness.
(With input from AP and Reuters)
Reference(s):
Category 5 storm Milton set to hit Florida in wake of deadly Helene
cgtn.com