Florida residents of the United States are racing to complete emergency preparations or evacuate as Hurricane Milton approaches Tampa Bay. The Category 5 storm, packing winds of up to 165 mph (270 km/h), is expected to make landfall Wednesday night, just weeks after the state was ravaged by Hurricane Helene.
President Joe Biden has urged Floridians to leave their homes, calling it a “matter of life and death,” while Governor Ron DeSantis oversaw one of the state’s largest evacuation efforts in years. Gas stations are running dry as long lines form, and shelters have been prepared for those stranded in the path of the “monster” storm.
Bradenton resident Gerald Lemus, evacuating with his daughter for the first time, said, “This will be a life-changing storm no matter where it hits.” Others, like ML Ferguson of Anna Maria, are still recovering from Helene’s devastation. “After this storm hits, I will officially become homeless,” she said, stalled in traffic while fleeing the city.
Tampa resident Chynna Perkins, staying in her newly constructed home, expressed concerns about the difficulty of evacuating, especially with pets, as fuel runs low and roads become clogged with traffic. Meanwhile, Biden canceled international travel plans to oversee emergency efforts for both Hurricane Milton and the ongoing recovery from Helene, which left at least 225 dead across the Southeast.
Florida’s National Guard and federal relief workers are on high alert as officials brace for potential storm surges of 10-15 feet and rainfall up to 15 inches, with the National Hurricane Center warning of dangerous winds and flying debris. Emergency warnings have been issued for 51 of Florida’s 67 counties, and schools and airports in the region have been closed until the storm passes.
With Hurricane Milton expected to be one of Florida’s most severe in a century, Biden’s message to residents was clear: “Evacuate now, now, now.”
