Milton restrengthened into a Category 5 hurricane late on Tuesday afternoon as it moved closer to western Florida.
Evacuations and other preparations should be completed today, the National Hurricane Center urged, warning that Milton could be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.”
Governor Ron DeSantis warned Floridians that “time is running out” for them to evacuate.
“You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not,” he said. “So, use today as your day to finalise and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”
His warning comes after Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told CNN on Monday that residents will die if they don’t evacuate as Milton races towards the state’s west coast.
Hurricane Helene, which recently devastated parts of the state, was a “wake-up call,” she said. Milton could be “literally catastrophic,” Castor added.
Milton has sustained winds 165mph. It is expected to be “a dangerous major hurricane” when it makes landfall on the west coast of Florida on Wednesday night.
Florida evacuates thousands of prisoners before Milton makes landfall
Florida has evacuated more than 4,600 prisoners before Hurricane Milton, the Category 5 storm that’s expected to bring unprecedented damage to major population centers like Tampa, touches down.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the state had “successfully relocated 4,636 inmates without compromising public safety and additional evacuations are underway,” according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Josh Marcus has the full story.
Stuti Mishra9 October 2024 05:40
Photos: Hurricane Milton causes flooding in Mexico
Stuti Mishra9 October 2024 05:20
‘We can replace your home, we can’t replace your life’
The mayor of Bradenton in Florida also joined others in giving a stark warning to residents to evacuate before the window to safely do so closes.
“Get out of these areas because we can replace your home, we can’t replace your life,” mayor Gene Brown said on ABC News.
“And we don’t want to be finding bodies floating in rivers, and we’ve seen that before,” he said.
To those who still decide not to evacuate the town, which is on the path of Hurricane Milton, he said:
Write your name on your arm so we can identify you.”
Gene Brown, mayor of Bradenton
Stuti Mishra9 October 2024 05:00
Watch: Stunning timelapse video shows Hurricane Milton from space
Stuti Mishra9 October 2024 04:48
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri warns about Milton’s ‘aftermath’: ‘We have great concern’
Julia Musto9 October 2024 04:30
Milton restrengthens into a Category 5 hurricane
Hurricane Milton re-strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane as it moved closer to Florida’s west coast where window for safely evacuating is closing soon, officials say.
The storm with 165mph winds has already caused flooding in Mexico and could be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida”, NHC warned.
Milton will still be a major Category 3 storm when it makes landfall in Florida on late Wednesday night or early Thursday near Tampa and Sarasota.
Stuti Mishra9 October 2024 04:20
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says state will have 43K linemen responding to expected power outages
Julia Musto9 October 2024 04:00
Nearly 30 Florida counties under hurricane warning for Milton
Julia Musto9 October 2024 03:30
Florida partners with Uber to provide Floridians with free rides
Julia Musto9 October 2024 03:00
Sheriff Carmine Marceno posts video of Lee County’s SHERP vehicle
Julia Musto9 October 2024 02:30
