Hurricane Milton, a Category 4 storm, is approaching Florida less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the area. Officials issued evacuation orders and warnings, emphasizing that Milton could be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida. The storm is expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday with potentially deadly storm surges of up to 15 feet. Of Florida’s 67 counties, 51 are under a state of emergency, and mandatory evacuations are in place for zones A, B, and C in several counties.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that those who choose to stay in evacuation areas will likely die due to the catastrophic storm surges. Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents to evacuate, stating that time is running out and eliminating tolls on western Florida roads to facilitate evacuations. President Biden called Milton one of the worst storms in a century for Florida and assured support from federal responders.
Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri warned businesses that refuse to evacuate of potential shutdowns, and Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert stressed the danger of the predicted storm surge of 10 to 15 feet, calling it unsurvivable. She urged residents to evacuate, emphasizing the extreme danger posed by Milton. Overall, officials are imploring residents to take evacuation orders seriously and leave the area to ensure their safety and survival.
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