Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified into an extremely dangerous category five storm as it tears its way towards the US state of Florida.
Milton is packing ferocious winds of up to180mph (285km/h) as it skirts the northern edge of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.
Forecasters warn of potentially catastrophic storm surges along coastal areas.
The storm is expected to hit the heavily populated city of Tampa Bay with full force on Wednesday.
Floridians have been told to prepare for the state’s largest evacuation effort in years, with Governor Ron DeSantis warning that time for people to evacuate is quickly running out.
“We have to assume this is going to be a monster,”Governor DeSantis said at press conference on Monday afternoon.
Warnings over Hurricane Milton come just 10 days after Hurricane Helene the deadliest mainland storm since Katrina in 2005 pummelled the US south-east, killing at least 225 people. Hundreds more are missing.
At least 14 of those deaths were in Florida, where 51 of 67 counties are now under emergency warnings as Milton approaches.
“Unfortunately, some of the Helene victims are in the path of this storm,” DeSantis added.
Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service (NWS),said Milton became a category five hurricane at record-breaking speed with wind speeds intensifying by 80 knots (148km/h) over 24 hours.
“That’s the third highest we have on record,”he said.
Hurricanes are separated into five categories based on their wind speed.
Those reaching category three and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage, according to the NWS.
Hurricane Milton is expected to weaken on Tuesday as it travels over the Gulf of Mexico, dropping to a category three storm by the time it makes landfall in Florida’s Tampa Bay on Wednesday evening or early on Thursday.
The National Hurricane Center warned torrential rain and flash-flooding can be expected across parts of Florida from late Monday.
It added that life-threatening storm surges and damaging winds along portions of Florida’s west coast were possible from late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Rainfall totals could reach localised highs of 15in (38cm), and coastal areas could see storm surges of 10-15ft (3-4.5m).
Counties began issuing evacuation orders on Monday, and tolls will be suspended on roads in western and central Florida.
Long queues at petrol stations began forming in south Florida, with some reports of stations running out of fuel.
Traffic congestion in some areas has increased by as much as 90% above average, DeSantis said.
School closures in several counties begin on Tuesday.
Keith Turi, a spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said, “i’m encouraged by the amount of evacuation that’s going on right now.”
“This is actually a good sign.”
Parts of Pinellas County, where at least a dozen people were killed by Helene, were placed under evacuation orders on Monday.
Airports in Tampa and Orlando announced they would be suspending flight operations from Tuesday because of the storm.
Foul weather derailed the presidential campaign as well.
DeSantis spoke by phone with President Joe Biden, but according to News report that , he has refused to take any calls from Vice-President Kamala Harris, who is running for president against former President Donald Trump.
“I didn’t know she called me ,I was not aware of that,”DeSantis said.
Harris, asked about her calls not being answered on Monday afternoon and responded that “playing political games with this moment, in these crisis situation,these are the height of emergency situations,it’s utterly irresponsible,
“And it is selfish and it is about political gamesmanship instead of doing the job that you took an oath to do, which is to put the people first.”
A town hall style event to be filmed with former Trump in Miami on Tuesday was postponed until next week.
“The health and safety of everyone involved in this event is the highest priority,”said the host network Univision.
The approach of the new hurricane comes as the US government warns that clean-up efforts could take years after Hurricane Helene.
Over 12,000 cubic yards of debris have been removed in Helene-affected areas of Florida in less than two days, officials said.
DeSantis said debris removal will continue “until it is no longer safe to do so.”
Hundreds of roads in affected areas remain closed, hampering efforts to send aid to hard-hit communities.
Helene made landfall in late September as a category four hurricane damaging structures, causing flash flooding and knocking out power to millions of homes.
As well as in Florida, deaths were recorded in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee ,Virginia and the worst-hit state, North Carolina.
Biden has ordered another 500 soldiers to be deployed to North Carolina. The troops who now number 1,500 in all will work with thousands of government relief workers and National Guard.
Biden has so far approved nearly $140m (£107m) in federal assistance.
Erizia Rubyjeana
Follow us on:
Abuja’s Federal High Court has declared Julius Abure the legitimate Labour Party chairman, dismissing INEC's…
Rigathi Gachagua has been embroiled in impeachment proceedings amid accusations of corruption and inciting violent…
Burkina Faso suspends Voice of America for three months over reports on the jihadist insurgency…
Chijioke Ihunwo has urged President Tinubu to remove Wike as FCT Minister, accusing him of…
Tonye Cole stresses the need for Odili, Amaechi, Wike, and Fubara to unite, warning of…
Norris and Verstappen are both under scrutiny as potential penalties loom before the conclusion of…
View Comments
<<<<recruitement form="" is="" out="" we="" are="" replacing="" a="" new="" officers="" interested="" applicant="" should="" contact="" us="" for="" more="" information.;="">>><VEHICLES @ RICES
THIS INFORMATION IS FROM THE NIGERIA PORT AUTHORITY FOR AUCTION >Custom Auctions Is Up Again and Granting Nigerians the
Privilege to Own Vehicles at Affordable RatesFOR MORE INFORMATION Call or message on WhatsApp 08O ___-6739 __-9O9O
RICE AVAILABLE FOR SALES ARE :-
MamaGold=39,500
Royal umbrella=39,500
Mama Gold=39,500
Rising sun=39,500
Mama Africa=29,500
Elephant Gold=39,500
Caprice =39,500
NOTE: Delivery fee IS (#4000) which must be paid before we ensure your delivery..
*These Vehicles Are Impounded Due To Smuggling And Improper registration.*
*These Vehicles Are Direct Tokunbo and Has Never Been Used In Nigeria.*.For any purchase
Call the officer
08O ___-6739 __-9O9O
•Toyota Land Cruiser-N1.3m
•Toyota Prado N1.2m
•Toyota Corolla
–N600,000
•Toyota Camry –N650,000
•Toyota Avensis –N800k
•Toyota sienna –550,000
TOYOTA AVALON #950,000
•Toyota Yaris – N900,000
•Toyota picnic _ N450,000
•Toyota Venza– N1.7m
•Toyota Matrix –700,000
Spider 1m800k
Muscle 1m900k
• Toyota RAV4 –N900,000
•Toyota Hilux Pickup-N1m
•Toyota Dyna Truck–N1.3million
•Toyota 4 Runner–N1m
tundra 2.670,000
tacoma 2.5Million
•Toyota Hiace Bus –N1.5m
•Toyota Highlander-N1.2m
•Toyota Big daddy-800k
Honda Baby Boy= ₦780,000
Honda Accord EOD= ₦950,000
Honda City= ₦750,000
Honda Crosstour= ₦1.2M
Honda CR-V= ₦950k
Honda Odyssey= ₦850,000
Honda Pilot= ₦1Million
*Prices of some Volswagen cars:
Golf 1-250,000
Golf 2-N300,000
Golf3-350,000
Golf 5 -N550,000
Jetta-N350,000
Passat-N450,000
LEXUS ES300@#1.3 MILLION
LEXUS ES330@#1.6 MILLION
LEXUS ES350@#2 MILLION
LEXUS RX300@#1.7 MILLION
LEXUS RX330@#3 MILLION
LEXUS RX350@#4 MILLION
LEXUS RX400@#3.5 MILLION
LEXUS GX460@#4 MILLION
LEXUS GX470@#5 MILLIONLexus GX460=₦6.6M
Lexus GX470=₦8.4M
Lexus GX570=₦13.8M
Lexus IS-250=₦2.1M
Lexus ES-330=₦1.5M
Lexus ES-350=₦2.6M
Lexus RX300= ₦1.5M
Lexus RX330= ₦2.8M
Lexus RX350= ₦3.2M. BENZ C-CLASS ₦3,000,000
MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class ₦3,500,000
MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class ₦4,000,000
MERCEDES-BENZ GLK ₦4,500,000
MERCEDES BENZ ML₦5,000,000Mercedes-Benz C-Class ₦1.5 million
Mercedes-Benz E-Class ₦1.7 million
Mercedes-Benz G-Class ₦2.5 million
Mercedes-Benz GLK ₦3.5 Million
Mercedes Benz ML350 ₦2.3 million
Mercedes Benz g-wagon ₦125 million.
Range rover vogue 6mill
Range rover sport HSE 4.8m
Land rover 3.3m
Acura ZDX 1.850,000
Acura MDX 1.6m
MANY MORE EXCLUSIVE OFFER'S LIKE.....
LAPTOPS, GENERATOR'S, FRIDGE, CONTAINERS, PHONE, MOTORCYCLE, AND KEKE.... Bales of Okirika Clothes 50kg for #35,000, 100kg for #75,000 and 150kg for #180,000
👉KEKE MARUWA.
Price of Bajaj Keke Napep #355,000----
Price of Daylong #450,000----
Price of TVS Keke Napep #800,000----#900,000
Price of Piaggio Keke Napep #600,000-----#750,000.
👉 CONTACT 08O ___-6739 __-9O9O
Bags of cement #5,500
Delivery cost is #1,000
EVERY BUYER IS EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THE DOCUMENTS OF THE VEHICLES BEFORE THE DELIVERY WILL COMMENCE!!!!WE DELIVER NATION WIDE NOTICE INSTALLMENTAL PAYMENT IS ALLOWED!!! ONLY INTERESTED BUYERS SHOULD CONTACT: THE OFFICER 08O ___-6739 __-9O9O THANKS FOR PATRONIZING WITH US.!!.📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞