Hurricane Milton, currently a Category 4 hurricane, continues to strengthen as it passes Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and heads toward the west coast of Florida. More than one million people were evacuated ahead of its expected entry into the region on Wednesday, reports Reuters.
Florida's west coast, still recovering from the devastating Hurricane Helen, is braced for the next disaster. According to the US National Hurricane Center, Milton is likely to hit the Tampa Bay area, where 3 million residents are trying to clear the remains of Helen and evacuate.
If the hurricane passes directly through the city, it will be the first such event since 1921. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that 8,000 members of the National Guard will be mobilized, and hundreds of trucks with supplies and equipment are already in the area.
"Now is the time to execute your evacuation plan... but time is running out," warned DeSantis during a briefing.
Hurricane Milton, which reached maximum winds of 250 km/h, was downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 4, but still remains extremely dangerous. Forecasts call for storm surges between 3 and 4.5 meters in areas north and south of Tampa Bay, with extended power outages expected.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton is the third-fastest Atlantic hurricane to strengthen from a Category 5 tropical storm in less than 24 hours.
Many residents along the Florida coast have been warned to seek shelter on higher ground. Pinellas County has ordered the evacuation of more than 500,000 people, and Lee County has ordered the evacuation of 416,000 people.
As recovery efforts from Hurricane Helen continue, Hurricane Milton threatens to wreak further catastrophic damage on an already hard-hit region.