Hurricane Milton, once a Category 5 storm, has weakened slightly to a Category 4 but remains life-threatening to Tampa Bay and its residents. This could be the first major hurricane to directly hit the region in almost 100 years, with officials warning residents to evacuate or face the catastrophic consequences of towering storm surges and hurricane-force winds. Tampa Bay, which has not seen a major hurricane since 1921, may finally be facing the storm many had hoped would never come.
As Milton slowly makes its way across the Gulf of Mexico, gathering strength from the warm waters, authorities have issued hurricane and tropical storm warnings for much of Florida’s west coast.The National Hurricane Center warned on Tuesday that Milton’s winds, which reached speeds of 150 mph (240 kph), are capable of turning debris into deadly projectiles, particularly as remnants of Hurricane Helene still litter the streets.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has urged residents to evacuate if they live in the storm’s path. “You do not have to get on the interstate and go far away,” DeSantis assured in a press conference. “You can evacuate tens of miles. You do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles away. You do have options”, as reported by the Associated Press.
Authorities have scrambled to remove debris from Hurricane Helene to prevent it from becoming lethal projectiles when Milton makes landfall. The state has deployed more than 300 dump trucks, which have already cleared 1,200 loads of debris.
In more vulnerable areas like Indian Rocks Beach and Clearwater Beach, officials have been working tirelessly to clear roads of debris. Evacuators removed waterlogged furniture and appliances, but many feared that anything left behind could become deadly missiles in Milton’s high winds. “Anything left behind will be like a spear coming at you,” said Nick Szabo, who was hired to help clear roads, adding, “It feels good to help.”
Federal officials, including President Joe Biden, have declared a state of emergency. “I need people to listen to their local officials to get out of harm’s way,” urged Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Biden has postponed an international trip to Germany and Angola to monitor the storm while mobilising resources.
As Milton barrels toward Florida, experts warn that it could drop as much as 18 inches of rain across the state, with storm surges posing a serious threat to lives and property.
Milton’s centre is expected to come ashore near Tampa Bay on Wednesday night, a region home to over 3.3 million people. Authorities are particularly concerned about the storm surges, which could reach as high as 15 feet in some areas, putting communities along the coast in extreme danger.