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Florida Braces For Impact as Hurricane Milton Forces Evacuation Of 6 Million Residents

Milton is projected to impact areas already devastated by Hurricane Helene

by Curly Tales Desk
Florida Braces For Impact as Hurricane Milton Forces Evacuation Of 6 Million Residents

The US braces itself for another natural disaster. Following closely in the wake of Hurricane Helene, Milton has been steadily intensifying as it approaches the west coast of Tampa, Florida. With communities still reeling from the aftereffects of Helene, the arrival of this new storm has heightened fears and forced rapid mobilisation.

Florida Braces For Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton formed as a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico. It intensified into a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday, prompting Florida to initiate its largest evacuation since 2017. It has affected around 6 million residents. Following closely behind Hurricane Helene, Milton is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane. It is expected along Florida’s west coast near Tampa by Wednesday, according to CBS News.

In addition to evacuation plans, preparations are being made across Tampa’s infrastructure. Hospitals and emergency shelters are on high alert, stockpiling essential supplies such as food, water, and medical resources.

In a Sunday evening advisory, meteorologists from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Hurricane Milton is moving across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico, heading toward Florida. The storm is expected to shift east-northeastward on Monday, gaining speed by Tuesday and Wednesday.

Milton is projected to impact areas already devastated by Hurricane Helene.  Florida’s emergency management director, Kevin Guthrie, urged residents to prepare for what may be the state’s largest evacuation since 2017’s Hurricane Irma.

Also Read: Hurricane Helene: From Strength To Affected Areas, All You Need To Know About This Storm In The US

About Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton was located about 1,255 km west-southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h, the National Hurricane Center reported. Moving east toward Florida at 11 km/h, the storm was classified as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, but it is expected to strengthen further.

North Carolina, Florida, and much of the southern U.S. are still reeling from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which claimed over 200 lives across six states. Helene is now the deadliest named storm to strike the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 1,400 people in 2005.
Yet, the challenge remains immense, as Florida faces the dual threats of human and environmental loss on the heels of another major storm.

Cover image credits: Canva (representational)

First Published: October 07, 2024 4:45 PM