Catastrophic Hurricane Milton To Hit Florida Gulf Coast Late Wednesday.
Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 5 storm, is fast approaching Florida’s Gulf Coast, threatening to unleash a life-threatening storm surge and winds of up to 160 mph (260 kph). Residents in the coastal areas are facing their last opportunity to evacuate or brace for the impact as the storm is expected to make landfall late Wednesday night.
More than one million residents have been ordered to evacuate from the coastal zone, leading to major traffic congestion and fuel shortages as people rush to reach higher ground. This region is still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which caused significant devastation less than two weeks ago.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center has classified Milton as a “catastrophic” and “dangerous” hurricane, and weather conditions are expected to deteriorate by Wednesday afternoon. The storm’s current trajectory indicates it will make landfall near the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, home to over three million residents, though there is still uncertainty regarding the storm’s exact path.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are scheduled to receive a briefing on the storm at noon, with Biden expected to make remarks later in the day. Sarasota’s mayor, Liz Alpert, stated, “We’re as prepared as we can be… but this is going to be a really, really bad storm.”
Emergency services are on high alert, and residents are urged to take the necessary precautions for what is expected to be one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the region in years.
Reuters……
