Hurricane Milton attains its peak intensity
Hurricane "Milton" is strikingly powerful, currently categorized as a Category 5 storm, and is set to disrupt the US state of Florida once more. The storm, now boasting winds up to 257 km/h, is projected to first batter the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico before hitting Florida's west coast on Thursday's early hours.
The storm's pace of intensification is unbelievable, as it was promoted from Category 3 to Category 5 by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) within just a few hours. The NHC predicts that "Milton" will maintain its status as an "extremely dangerous hurricane" until its landfall. Deanne Criswell, FEMA's administrator, affirmed the readiness of federal agencies in response to the storm, while additional funds are being dispatched to local authorities.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis remarked on the state of emergency in several counties and the ensuing evacuations, including parts of the Tampa metropolitan area inhabited by over three million people. The National Weather Service starkly warned that if the storm adheres to its current trajectory, this would signify the worst storm to impact the Tampa area for over a century.
A dramatic storm surge is expected to impact Florida's west coast on Tuesday evening or early Wednesday, potentially causing water levels to reach a daunting 3.6 meters in Tampa. Heavy rainfall-induced flash flooding warnings have also been issued.
Citizens in downtown Orlando queued in long car lines to secure sandbags, while residents in the Mexican state of Yucatan are also preparing for the hurricane. Structures are being reinforced with boarded-up windows and doors, and boats are being withdrawn from the waters. Schools are temporarily closed. In a post on the X online service, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted the possibility of "apocalyptic" rainfall.
Florida and other southeastern US states endured Hurricane "Helene" at the end of September, with the storm making landfall at Category 4 strength, resulting in catastrophic damage. Various structures were either damaged or demolished, and widespread power outages were reported.
As of now, at least 225 lives have been claimed by "Helene," with at least 15 of these fatalities reported in Florida. In this regard, "Helene" holds the distinction of being the most lethal storm to strike the US mainland in the past half-century, since Hurricane "Katrina" in 2005.
The European Union has expressed concern over the potential impacts of Hurricane "Milton" on the Caribbean and the United States, pledging humanitarian aid and support to affected countries. The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management department has been closely monitoring the situation.
Despite the devastation caused by Hurricane "Helene" in Florida, the state has received a significant amount of funding from the European Union for disaster recovery and resilience projects, aiming to strengthen their infrastructure and prepare for future climate-related events.
