Hurricane Milton, category 3 out of 5, made landfall in Florida, in the southeast of the United States, the American Hurricane Center (NHC) announced on Wednesday, October 9, 2024.
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Hurricane Milton considered “ extremely dangerous “, made landfall on the west coast of Florida “ near Siesta Key in Sarasota County », Wrote the American agency in its 8:30 p.m. bulletin (12:30 a.m. UT).
The hurricane Milton drew its energy from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, twice reaching the maximum category 5. The cyclone has so far had winds of up to 205 km/h as it roared on the coast near from Siesta Key, about 100 miles south of Tampa. The Tampa Bay region, home to three million people, has not been directly hit by a major hurricane in more than a century. Heavy rain is likely to cause inland flooding along rivers and lakes.
Milton is expected to maintain hurricane status as it crosses the Florida peninsula, before weakening over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, October 10. Hurricane Milton hit a region of Florida still reeling from Hurricane Helen, which caused heavy damage and killed a dozen people in coastal Pinellas County alone.
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After the calls to evacuate, the calls to get to safety for those who remained
Earlier, authorities issued increasingly urgent warnings to people to evacuate the area. “ For those of you who were hit by Hurricane Helene, this is going to be a final blow. You have to go, and you have to do it now said Cathie Perkins, Pinellas County Emergency Management Director. US President Joe Biden urged the population to follow the recommendations of the authorities. “ It’s literally a matter of life and death “, he insisted.
Late in the afternoon, some officials said the time had passed for such efforts. In the evening, some counties announced they had suspended emergency services. “ Unless you really have a good reason to leave at this point, we suggest you hide said Polk County Emergency Management Director Paul Womble in a public update.
Numerous tornadoes spawned by the hurricane ravaged Florida, with the tornadoes acting as dangerous warning signs of Milton’s approach. Videos posted to social media sites showed large funnel clouds over neighborhoods in Palm Beach County and elsewhere in the state.
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