Florida is gearing up for its most extensive evacuation in seven years as the state braces itself for Hurricane Milton’s impending arrival.
This weather system, which transitioned from a tropical storm to a hurricane on Sunday, is expected to make landfall in the United States on Wednesday.
The hurricane, currently moving east across the Gulf of Mexico, is anticipated to strike the Tampa Bay vicinity before continuing over Orlando.
This development follows the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which claimed over 200 lives in the southeastern US, including parts of Florida, just last month.
Experts indicate that several impacted regions are likely to experience further strikes, exacerbating the destruction caused just two weeks ago.
Kevin Guthrie, the director of Florida’s emergency management division, cautioned residents to be ready for the “largest evacuation we have witnessed since Hurricane Irma in 2017.”
He urged: “I strongly advise you to evacuate.”
In 2017, approximately seven million individuals were instructed to evacuate their residences in Florida before Hurricane Irma, which ultimately resulted in over 130 fatalities within the state.
The extensive evacuation resulted in significant congestion on highways and lengthy lines at gas stations.
Authorities claim they have learned from the disorganized situations experienced in 2017, and will implement emergency fuel stations and charging points for electric vehicles along evacuation pathways.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cautioned that outages of power were probable and that debris from Hurricane Helene would “escalate markedly”.
He remarked: “At this juncture, I don’t foresee any scenario that would spare us from significant impacts.
“You have time to prepare – all today, all day Monday, and likely all day Tuesday to ensure your hurricane preparedness strategy is fully established.
“If you reside on Florida’s west coast or barrier islands, just assume that you will be required to evacuate.”
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Officials disclosed during a news briefing that Pinellas County, which encompasses St. Petersburg, is anticipated to enforce mandatory evacuations for over 500,000 residents in the most flood-prone regions on Monday.
Evacuations have already been initiated for six hospitals, 25 nursing homes, and 44 assisted living facilities within the county.
St. Petersburg’s Mayor Ken Welch stated: “We will be in the process of reconstruction for several years due to Hurricane Helene, and the severity will be intensified by the effects of this storm.
“It’s important to note that Hurricane Helene was located 100 miles away from us, proceeding in a different trajectory. This is a robust category two or three hurricane aimed straight towards us.”
A hurricane warning has also been announced for the northern shoreline of Mexico‘s Yucatan Peninsula.
In the meantime, on Sunday, President Joe Biden of the United States confirmed that an additional 500 active-duty soldiers would be deployed to North Carolina to assist with Hurricane Helene recovery operations, raising the total to 1,500 troops.
To date, over $137 million (£104 million) in federal assistance for the area has also received approval.