"Milton" is rapidly approaching Florida at a speed of 155 miles per hour.
Hurricane "Milton" poses fresh concerns, as it barrels towards Florida and Yucatan, with Florida Peninsula in its direct path. This Category 5 behemoth, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), is barreling towards Florida at unprecedented speeds. With wind speeds of up to 257 kilometers per hour, it's set to leave a trail of destruction in its wake. Initially projected to hit Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, the hurricane is expected to then make landfall on Florida's west coast early Thursday.
The storm's aggressive strength saw a meteoric rise, with the NHC upgrading it from a Category 3 to a Category 5 in just hours. The NHC warned that "Milton" would retain its "extremely dangerous" status until it makes landfall. FEMA Director Deanne Criswell assures that federal agencies are geared up to tackle the storm, with additional resources being dispatched to local authorities.
The Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, has declared a state of emergency in several counties, and evacuations have begun, affecting populous areas like Tampa with over 3 million residents. If "Milton" maintains its course, it could be the most devastating storm to hit the Tampa area in over a century, the National Weather Service warns.
A daunting storm surge is predicted for Florida's west coast on Tuesday night or Wednesday early morning, with Tampa potentially witnessing a surge of up to 3.6 meters. Heavy rainfall warnings have been issued due to the looming downpour.
In Orlando's downtown, people queue up for hours to collect sandbags, while residents in Yucatan are also gearing up for the storm by boarding up windows, pulling boats ashore, and shutting down schools. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warns of potential "biblical" rainfall on digital platform X.
Florida and other southeastern U.S. states were hit hard at the end of September by Hurricane "Helene". The storm, which landed with hurricane strength 4, resulted in extensive damage, with many buildings either wrecked or destroyed, and power cuts widespread.
As per the latest U.S. government data, at least 225 lives have been lost due to "Helene", with at least 15 fatalities reported in Florida. Consequently, "Helene" has become the most catastrophic storm to impact the U.S. mainland in the previous 50 years, surpassing the devastation wrought by Hurricane "Katrina" in 2005.
The European Union has expressed concern over the potential impact of Hurricane "Milton" on Florida and its communities, considering the region's vulnerability after the damage caused by Hurricane "Helene". Despite the current focus on Hurricane "Milton", resources and aid from the EU may be needed to assist in the recovery efforts post-Milton, given the historical devastation caused by severe storms in the region.
