John AdoyiJust days after Hurricane Helene, the deadliest storm to strike the Southeast US coast since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, wreaked havoc, another powerful storm—Hurricane Milton—has strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane.
Milton, currently churning in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to make landfall in Florida, a state still recovering from Helene’s widespread destruction.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAlmost the entire west coast of Florida is under a hurricane warning as Milton barrels towards the state at 9 miles per hour, with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour, The Associated Press reported. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a grave warning of “potentially catastrophic” storm surges along coastal regions. Milton is expected to impact Tampa Bay, a popular city in Florida, with full force by Wednesday.
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, in a press conference on Monday, urged residents to brace for the worst, calling the storm a “monster.” He emphasized the grim reality that some of Helene’s victims remain in the path of this second hurricane. “Unfortunately, some of the Helene victims are in the path of this storm,” he said.
The NHC predicts that Milton will weaken slightly to a Category 3 storm by the time it makes landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday, but life-threatening storm surges and torrential rainfall remain imminent. Rainfall totals could reach up to 15 inches in some areas, with storm surges as high as 10-15 feet along coastal regions. The surge is expected to cause devastating flooding, particularly along Florida’s west coast.
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In response to the impending disaster, evacuation orders were issued for multiple communities across Florida. Governor DeSantis urged residents to comply, stating, “We cannot take any chances.”
Florida’s Tampa Bay International Airport is scheduled to suspend all flights from 9 a.m. Tuesday. More than 20 counties have announced school closures, with the University of Florida and other institutions canceling classes for the remainder of the week.
President Joe Biden has already approved an emergency declaration for Florida and deployed 7,000 federal workers to assist in rescue and recovery efforts. This comes just weeks after the federal government allocated over $140 million to clean up the destruction left by Hurricane Helene, particularly in North Carolina, which bore the brunt of the previous storm.
Officials said that Helene left a trail of destruction, killing over 200 people and leaving hundreds more missing. The storm’s aftermath is still fresh in the minds of residents as Milton approaches, with many left wondering how the state will handle the dual blows.
