Florida has begun to put modalities in place for a massive evacuation across 51 counties as Hurricane Milton speedily approaches. The preparation comes barely ten days after Storm Helene struck across the southeastern part of the United States, leaving over 225 dead, including 14 in Florida, with scores of hundreds still missing to date.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned that Hurricane Milton is another potentially life-threatening disaster that needs not be undermined as it has strengthened from a tropical storm into a deadly hurricane. The NHC cautioned that tremendous wind, flash flooding from heavy rainfall, and a possibly dangerous storm surge could occur as the hurricane moves inland.
In the early hours of Monday, Milton was sustaining winds of nearly 100 mph (155 km/h), with much tendency to skyrocket and become a major hurricane before making landfall on Florida’s west coast around Tampa Bay, presumably by midweek. The rainfall could reach approximately 15 inches (38 cm) in some areas, worsening the already fragile conditions in parts of the state that were drastically affected by Helene. Low-coaster areas have been warned of the potential flash floods and storm surges.
State emergency management officials have been coordinating the large-scale evacuation process since Governor Ron DeSantis declared emergency warnings for 51 of Florida’s 67 counties. The governor has also assured the residents of his unwavering efforts to restore power and clear roads after Milton passes. However, he warned that disruptions may be widespread. He said, “We anticipate major impacts from Milton, and we urge everyone to have a preparedness plan in place.”
The state’s emergency management director, Kevin Guthrie, has described the evacuation preparation as the “largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma”, which happened in 2017 and claimed numerous lives. He urged Floridians to prepare for evacuation, which could be mandatory and voluntary in some areas. The most vulnerable area which has stirred a lot of concern is Pinellas County, considering the devastating effect of Helene on the area, which claimed over a dozen lives of her residents.
