Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Thousands of Florida residents rushed to evacuate as Hurricane Milton approaching the state’s Gulf Coast as reported by CNN on Wednesday October 9. Milton is set to be the first hurricane to make landfall in the region since 1921.
Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified, becoming the third-fastest strengthening storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasts predict it will grow even more powerful before hitting land, posing a significant threat to Florida. Within just 24 hours, Milton transformed from a tropical storm into a Category 5 hurricane, the highest classification, with winds exceeding 157 mph (250 km/h).
The storm is expected to hit Florida’s west coast on Wednesday, October 9, or Thursday, October 10, putting millions of residents in the Tampa Bay area at risk. The region is still reeling from Hurricane Helene, which struck recently and left dozens dead.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has issued a stark warning to her constituents about the dangers posed by Milton. “If you choose to stay in an evacuation zone, you will not survive,” she cautioned.
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According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Milton is currently packing sustained winds of 167 mph (270 km/h), placing it firmly in Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The eye of the storm is projected to be about 440 miles (710 kilometers) southwest of Tampa by 7 p.m. local time. It is moving east-northeast at a speed of 10 mph (17 km/h).
“Milton’s winds are expected to expand as it nears Florida. Official forecasts show that the storm’s size will roughly double in both hurricane-force and tropical-storm-force winds upon landfall,” the NHC stated.
Thousands of people have hurriedly evacuated, causing massive traffic jams across Florida, according to Reuters. Gas stations have run dry as fuel demand surged, while those who chose to stay behind have boarded up windows and prepared their homes.
U.S. President Joe Biden has postponed an official trip to monitor the storm’s progress. He urged residents under evacuation orders to leave immediately, stressing that the situation is “a matter of life and death.”
(Raidi/Agung)
