Around 6 million residents of Florida have been ordered to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton, which is being described as potentially “catastrophic.” The storm is expected to make landfall within hours.
The National Hurricane Center has tracked Milton as it makes its way through the Gulf of Mexico. Forecasters have downgraded it to a Category 3, which is in the middle of their intensity scale. The system has already spun off tornadoes and heavy rains.
US President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, reached out to Florida residents: “I know it’s really tough leaving behind your home, your belongings, everything you own. But I urge everyone in Hurricane Milton’s path to follow all safety instructions as we head into the next 24 hours. It’s literally a matter of life and death.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency briefed the president on what to expect. Administrator Deanne Criswell, when asked by Biden if she had ever seen a storm like Milton, said: “I think this is going to be one of the biggest ones that we have seen after it makes landfall.”
Many residents were still cleaning up from Hurricane Helene, which struck the southeastern US less than two weeks ago. More than 30,000 people have taken refuge in public shelters, and those who evacuated have encountered long lines at gas stations and heavy traffic.