Florida’s Gulf Coast has faced a dire situation on Wednesday as Hurricane Milton, a massive Category 5 storm with 160 mph winds, headed straight for the Tampa Bay area. More than 1 million residents were ordered to evacuate, but fuel shortages made escaping difficult, leaving the state in a rush to prepare for one of the most potentially destructive storms in recent memory.
The storm, which is expected to hit late Wednesday or early Thursday, is following an uncommon west-to-east path across the Gulf of Mexico, with forecasts warning of storm surges up to 10 feet along much of the Florida coastline. The National Hurricane Center noted that while wind speeds might decrease, the storm’s growing size meant more areas would be at risk.
Authorities, including President Joe Biden and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, urged people in high-risk zones to leave. Among those taking the warnings seriously was Michael Tylenda, visiting Tampa. “If anybody knows anything about Florida, when you don’t evacuate when you’re ordered to, you can pretty much die,” he said, stressing that staying behind could be fatal. “People stay at their homes and end up drowning. It’s not worth it… the house can be replaced, the stuff can be replaced. So it’s better to get out of town.”
The timing of Hurricane Milton has added to Florida’s challenges, with the state still recovering from Hurricane Helene’s destruction just two weeks earlier. Highways were packed with residents trying to flee inland, while empty gas stations added to the stress. For those who chose to remain, officials warned them to brace for life-threatening conditions.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Mary Asantewaa Buabeng
