Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified to a Category 5 hurricane with winds reaching 160mph, as the potential “once in a lifetime” storm charts its path towards the already storm-battered Florida coast.
Milton is situated in the Southern Gulf of Mexico and is moving “erratically” northwest where it is expected to hit the heavily-populated Tampa Bay area by Wednesday.
The Pinellas County Sheriff issued a warning ahead of the storm’s prospective landfall, with Floridians asked to brace for what could be the largest evacuation since 2017’s Hurricane Irma.
“This is going to be bad. That’s all you need to know,” Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said during an emergency conference on Sunday. “Everyone just needs to get out.”
Milton is racing towards areas already devastated by Hurricane Helene, which struck northern Florida on 26 September and caused more than 220 deaths across the Southeast.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned the storm surge and power outages could exceed those caused by Helene, especially given the leftover debris. “There are some areas with a lot of debris… if hit by a major hurricane, it’s going to dramatically increase damage,” he said.
President Joe Biden is due to be briefed this afternoon.
In St. Petersburg, officials warned residents flooding could be twice as great as during Hurricane Helene.
“Our community now faces an ever more daunting challenge,” Mayor Ken Welch said. “This is a powerful storm. More powerful than Helene with more potential storm surge.”
With reporting from The Associated Press
Julia Musto8 October 2024 00:30
In 1921, the last time the eye of a major storm like Hurricane Milton struck Tampa Bay, the city was only home to a few hundred thousand Floridians.
Now, it’s one of the fastest-growing cities in the US, with 3 million residents.
As Category 5 Milton storms toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, Tampa’s future comes into question.
Julia Musto8 October 2024 00:00
James Liddell7 October 2024 23:43
The first alerts notifying residents of Pinellas, Manatee, Pasco, Charlotte, Citrus and Hillsborough counties in Florida of a hurricane warning and storm surge warning went out via email, text message and phone call on Monday afternoon, according to messages received by The Associated Press.
The hurricane warning said the impacts of Milton could be “devastating to catastrophic.”
The alerts warned that sturdy buildings could suffer complete roof and wall failures, and that damage could make some areas “uninhabitable for weeks or months.”
With reporting from The Associated Press
Julia Musto7 October 2024 23:30
Julia Musto7 October 2024 23:21
Having a plan and an emergency kit before Hurricane Milton strikes is crucial and, heeding warnings to evacuate could be a life-saving decision, emergency officials said Monday.
Florida’s emergency management director, Kevin Guthrie, motioned to the ceiling at a briefing. The ceiling was just over 10 feet high; Guthrie used to it to illustrate how forecasts call for Milton to bring a storm surge higher than that — up to 12 feet along Florida’s west coast.
Julia Musto7 October 2024 23:00
James Liddell7 October 2024 22:44
Julia Musto7 October 2024 22:30
The head of the U.S. disaster response agency continued to push back Monday against false claims and conspiracy theories about her agency’s response to Hurricane Helene.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell pointed to the agency’s massive, collaborative effort, strongly urging residents in hard-hit areas to accept the government’s offer for assistance.
“We have thousands of people on the ground, not just federal, but also our volunteers in the private sector,” Criswell said at a news conference in Asheville, North Carolina. “And frankly, that type of rhetoric is demoralizing to our staff that have left their families to come here and help the people of North Carolina. And we will be here as long as they’re needed.”
Julia Musto7 October 2024 22:07
Tampa International Airport will suspend all flights from 9am ET Tuesday, the airport said in a news release on Monday.
With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall at Tampa Bay on Wednesday night, the airport says it will remain closed to the public until after the storm passes and any damage assessed..
Following its re-opening, the airport urged passengers to “please contact your airline for the latest flight information”.
It added: “TPA will announce if flight operations are affected by the storm, but airlines are responsible for their schedules.”
James Liddell7 October 2024 21:42
St. Petersburg officials warn storm surge from Milton could be greater than Helene’s
As Milton takes aim at Florida, why is Tampa Bay so vulnerable to hurricanes?
Mapped: Storm surge could reach up to 12ft in Tampa Bay
First alerts sent to Florida residents notifying them of hurricane and storm surge warnings
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says Biden has approved ‘everything’ Florida has asked for
Ahead of hurricane strike, Floridians should have a plan, a supply kit and heed evacuation advice
In pictures: Florida residents clear debris in preparation of Hurricane Milton making landfall
Joe and Jill Biden send message of hope to those impacted by Hurricane Helene
FEMA administrator continues pushback against false claims as Helene death toll hits 230
Tampa International Airport to close from Tuesday morning
