As millions were advised to evacuate and officials warned that those who remained would have slim chances of surviving, some Floridians insisted they would stay put as Hurricane Milton rumbled toward a possibly catastrophic clash near Florida’s west coast on Wednesday.
The greater-than-3.3 million-person Tampa Bay area was in danger of catastrophic devastation after more than a century of big hurricanes missing it directly. Milton was a powerful Category 5 storm for much of its approach, and the National storm Center anticipated that when it made landfall late on Wednesday, it would probably weaken but still be a major hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center stated that Milton’s center was early on Wednesday, 360 miles (580 kilometers) southwest of Tampa, and that its maximum sustained winds were 160 mph (260 km/h).
Forecasters projected the storm will sustain hurricane power as it hits central Florida on Thursday on a route east toward the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane’s exact route was still unknown as of Tuesday night, when forecasts moved the storm’s anticipated path a little bit south of Tampa.
Before the hurricane, Florida’s highways were jam-packed with thousands of automobiles evacuating, but time for evacuations was running out on Wednesday. Storm surges in Tampa are expected to reach up to 15 feet (4.5 meters), which is deep enough to submerge a house completely, according to Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa.
Castor remarked, “So if you’re in it, that’s basically the coffin that you’re in.”
Milton targets areas that are still in shock two weeks after Hurricane Helene’s destructive march left streets and homes in western Florida flooded, at least 230 dead across the South.
Punta Gorda, a bayside town 100 miles south of Tampa, is still filled with soggy piles of trash from damaged homes. Accountant and art collector Scott Joiner remained on the second floor of his New Orleans-style home, where bull sharks swam in the flooded streets. He planned to go another round and ride out Milton, despite the risk. Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders across 11 Florida counties with a combined population of about 5.9 million people. Officials have warned that anyone staying behind must fend for themselves, as first responders are not expected to risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm.
In Riverview, south of Tampa, several drivers waiting in a long line for fuel said they had no plans to evacuate. Others weren’t taking any chances after Helene, as they were left with thousands of dollars in damage when their home flooded. State and local governments scrambled ahead of the storm to remove piles of debris left in Helene’s wake, fearing that the oncoming hurricane would turn loose wreckage into flying missiles.
In Mexico, authorities in the state of Yucatan reported minor damage from Milton as it passed just offshore, with power lines, light poles, and trees knocked down near the coast and some small thatched-roof structures destroyed.
(AP)
