Florida Braces for Largest Evacuation in Years as Hurricane Milton Approaches

Florida is preparing for its largest evacuation effort in years as Hurricane Milton, a rapidly intensifying storm, heads towards the Gulf Coast.

The state is still reeling from the devastating effects of Storm Helene, which struck just 10 days ago, killing at least 225 people across the southeastern US, including 14 in Florida. With hundreds still missing and extensive damage from Helene, officials are now warning Floridians to brace for another potentially life-threatening event.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Hurricane Milton, which formed off the Mexican coast, has strengthened from a tropical storm into a hurricane.

As of Monday morning, Milton was sustaining winds of nearly 100 mph (155 km/h), and it is expected to strengthen further, becoming a major hurricane before making landfall on Florida’s west coast around Tampa Bay by midweek.

The NHC has issued warnings of severe wind, flash flooding from heavy rainfall, and a potentially dangerous storm surge as the hurricane moves inland. Rainfall totals could reach up to 15 inches (38 cm) in some areas, exacerbating the already fragile conditions in parts of the state that were battered by Helene. Flash flood warnings and storm surge alerts have been issued, particularly for low-lying coastal areas.

Governor Ron DeSantis has declared emergency warnings for 51 of Florida’s 67 counties, and state emergency management officials are coordinating a large-scale evacuation. Kevin Guthrie, the state’s emergency management director, called this the “largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma” in 2017, which claimed dozens of lives. “We cannot afford to take this storm lightly,” he said, urging Floridians to prepare for evacuation orders, which could be both mandatory and voluntary in some areas.

DeSantis assured residents that preparations are already underway to restore power and clear roads after Milton passes, but he warned that disruptions will be widespread. “We anticipate major impacts from Milton, and we urge everyone to have a preparedness plan in place,” he said.

One area of particular concern is Pinellas County, where Helene claimed the lives of at least a dozen residents. With Milton approaching, more evacuations are expected, and local officials are working to ensure the safety of vulnerable communities still recovering from the previous storm.

The arrival of Milton compounds the challenges posed by the clean-up efforts following Helene. The US government has warned that recovery from Helene could take years, with hundreds of roads still closed in affected areas, making it difficult to deliver aid to devastated communities. Helene made landfall in late September as a Category 4 hurricane, causing widespread damage, flash flooding, and knocking out power to millions of homes. In addition to Florida, deaths from Helene were recorded in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, with North Carolina suffering the worst impact.

In response to the ongoing crisis, President Joe Biden has deployed an additional 500 soldiers to North Carolina, bringing the total to 1,500 troops working alongside thousands of government relief workers and National Guard personnel. So far, the federal government has approved nearly $140 million in disaster relief assistance for the affected regions.

However, the allocation of federal funds has sparked controversy, with former President Donald Trump, who is running for re-election in November, falsely claiming that the relief money had been spent on migrants. His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from government officials, with the head of the US disaster relief agency calling Trump’s statements “dangerous misinformation.”

As Florida braces for Milton’s landfall, the state and federal governments are focused on safeguarding lives and minimizing damage, though officials warn that the recovery from this series of storms will be long and difficult.

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