Tropical Storm Milton is Severely Impairing Florida's Functions
Urgent situation in the southeastern US: Just days after Hurricane "Helene" swept past, residents and authorities in Florida are readying for the next calamity. Hurricane "Milton" has rapidly gained strength over the Gulf of Mexico at the start of the week.
Compulsory evacuation orders have been given out in over two dozen counties, with authorities projecting not just storm damage, heavy rain, and power blackouts, but also widespread flooding. The bustling Tampa Bay metropolitan area, Florida's third-largest urban center, is also in the storm's path. Which areas should evacuate? A glance at the map provides an initial outlook:
(Hint: US evacuation data is revised hourly.)
Hurricane "Milton" is already one of the most powerful hurricanes in decades. At the start of the week, the storm escalated into a Category 5 hurricane within a few hours in the record-warm Gulf of Mexico, gaining energy ever since.
Meteorologists anticipate the storm to reach the western coast of Florida by late Wednesday or early Thursday. Wind speeds in the Gulf of Mexico are already reaching up to 260 kilometers per hour. In coastal areas, the water could surge up to 3.7 meters during the storm surge, according to the hurricane center of the US weather service.
Heavy rain is also expected in central and northern parts of Florida. Evacuation orders have been issued in almost every county on the west side of the peninsula: Local authorities are urging residents to leave the affected regions as soon as possible and find safety through loudspeaker announcements and media. In total, evacuation orders are in effect for 27 of the state's 67 regions.
Hurricane "Milton" poses a threat in the northern part of the peninsula to areas that were previously devastated by Hurricane "Helene" less than two weeks ago. In some places, cleanup efforts were still pending. Unlike "Helene", Hurricane "Milton" is predicted to hit Florida further south, with significant flooding feared in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area in west-central Florida.
More than 3 million people reside in this region alone. The closely packed cities of Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg, with their extensive properties in low-lying terrain around Tampa Bay, are among the most vulnerable coastal flooding regions in the U.S. The storm surge threatens not only industrial areas and business sections in Tampa Bay but also "MacDill Air Force Base," one of the largest military bases of the U.S. armed forces, the headquarters of U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Special Forces.
Evacuating millions presents enormous challenges for authorities. Northbound exit roads have been bogged down for days. There are long traffic jams on highways, and some gas stations are already running out of fuel. Police patrol cars are escorting tanker trucks along the shoulder to empty pumps. Many businesses in the threatened regions have been shut since Tuesday, with storefronts boarded up and entrances fortified with sandbags.
Biden: "A Matter of Life or Death"
"Those wishing to find safety should do so immediately," said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The city of Tampa Bay is preparing for a possible "direct hit." It would be the first major hurricane in this region since 1921. Along with Tampa Bay and the city of Fort Myers further south, U.S. authorities are warning of potentially life-threatening conditions in northeastern Florida between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. Evacuation centers have already been established, even in the Miami area at the southern tip of the approximately 800-mile-long peninsula.
Hurricane "Milton" is already disrupting public life in Florida before its arrival: schools and universities are closed, many businesses have temporarily ceased operations and are moving their materials and machinery to safe locations. The extreme weather conditions in Florida are hampering the US government's campaign schedules in the middle of the heated phase of the US election campaign.
The storm is also crippling economic activities: tourist attractions such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens in Tampa, and SeaWorld in Orlando have to temporarily close. Air traffic is also running limited. The Tampa International Airport, the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, and the Orlando International Airport have to temporarily suspend operations.
The US government is already forecasting significant damages. According to estimates by the rating agency Moody's, around 235,000 commercial properties worth about $1.1 trillion are in the expected path of the hurricane. President Biden postponed a foreign trip on Tuesday to lead the crisis response in the US.
Biden urged the US population to adhere to evacuation orders. Hurricane "Milton" could turn into "one of the worst storms of the last 100 years in Florida," said Biden. "It's a matter of life or death."
The European Union, recognizing the severity of the situation, has expressed its support and readiness to provide aid in the form of emergency supplies and resources. Authorities in the Florida Peninsula are coordinating with their counterparts in the European Union, seeking assistance to efficiently manage the evacuation of millions of residents.
As Hurricane "Milton" approaches, many residents who have fled to neighboring states are seeking refuge in temporary shelters. Some of these evacuees are from areas previously affected by Hurricane "Helene" and are now seeking assistance from the European Union, along with American relief efforts.
