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As Hurricane Milton barreled towards Florida, reaching Category 2 status on Monday morning, the state was plunged into a frenzy of preparations and evacuations. With Tampa and Orlando in its sights, Milton had the potential to cause widespread destruction and devastation as it gained momentum over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued storm surge and hurricane watches for Florida, along with a hurricane warning for parts of Mexico, as Milton continued to strengthen. As the storm tracked towards the Florida Gulf Coast, memories of past hurricanes that had ravaged the region were fresh in the minds of residents and emergency officials.
Forecasts predicted that Milton would make landfall near Tampa Bay on Wednesday and then continue its path over central Florida towards the Atlantic Ocean. This trajectory would spare other southern states that had recently been hit by Hurricane Helene, which had left a trail of destruction and claimed the lives of over 230 people from Florida to the Appalachian Mountains just days earlier.
In anticipation of Milton’s arrival, the Mexican government issued a hurricane alert for the Yucatan Peninsula, warning residents from Celestun to Rio Lagartos to prepare for the storm’s impact.
The specter of Hurricane Irma in 2017 loomed large over the preparations for Milton. The massive evacuation efforts for Irma had led to chaos on the roadways, with traffic jams, long lines at gas stations, and frustrated evacuees vowing never to wait out a storm again. Lessons learned from past hurricanes, including Irma, had led Florida officials to implement new strategies for this evacuation, such as setting up emergency gasoline and electric car charging stations along evacuation routes.
Florida Division of Emergency Management executive director Kevin Guthrie emphasized the importance of being prepared and having a plan in place for the impending storm. With the storm rapidly intensifying and shifting track, Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to take action and heed evacuation orders.
The hurricane center reported that Milton was moving east-southeast with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, making it a potentially major hurricane by Monday. As the storm continued to gather strength, DeSantis warned of major impacts and urged those living on Florida’s west coast barrier islands to evacuate as soon as possible.
As Milton approached, preparations were underway across the state. Pinellas County schools closed preemptively, Tampa garages opened up for free parking to protect vehicles from flooding, and National Guard soldiers were mobilized to assist with debris removal. The state was bracing itself for what was expected to be the largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017.
As the situation unfolded, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell defended her agency’s response to Hurricane Helene and pushed back against politicization of the disaster. With federal disaster assistance exceeding $137 million and over 1,500 active-duty troops, 6,100 National Guardsmen, and nearly 7,000 federal workers deployed to assist with relief efforts, the government was working tirelessly to support affected families and communities.
President Biden reassured the nation that his administration would spare no resource in assisting with recovery efforts and rebuilding in the wake of Milton’s impact. With FEMA shelters housing displaced individuals and ongoing relief efforts in place, the government was committed to providing aid and support to those affected by the disaster.
As Florida braced for Hurricane Milton, the state stood united in its efforts to weather the storm and emerge stronger on the other side. With memories of past hurricanes still fresh, residents were prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that they could rely on the strength and resilience of their communities and the support of state and federal agencies.
