Tampa, Fla. (AP) — Florida residents, fearing a once-in-a-century direct hit by Hurricane Milton, evacuated the Tampa Bay area on Tuesday as crews worked frantically to prevent furniture, appliances and other items from being submerged. Debris from the last great storm became deadly projectiles in this one.
The preparations marked the last chance for millions of people in the Tampa metro area to prepare for deadly storm surges, ferocious winds and possible tornadoes that have eluded a major storm in generations.
“Today is the last day to prepare,” said former FEMA director Craig Fugate. “It brings everything.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state has sent 300 dump trucks to remove 1,300 loads of trash. Hurricane Helen Tuesday afternoon. In Clearwater Beach, Nick Szabo spent the second long day carrying 3-foot soaked mattresses, couches and drywall, hired by a local resident.
“All this nonsense will be missiles,” he said. “It’s like a spear coming at you.”
After weakening slightly, Milton regained strength on Tuesday afternoon with sustained winds of 165 mph (265 km/h), again becoming a Category 5 storm. It is likely to cross the coast on Wednesday night Tampa Bay AreaIt has a population of more than 3.3 million people. About 5.9 million people live in the 11 Florida counties under mandatory evacuation orders, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates.
Those who disobey orders are on their own, and first responders will not risk their lives to save them at the height of the storm.
“You don’t have to go far on the interstate,” DeSantis told a news conference, assuring residents that they would have enough gasoline to fuel their cars for the trip. “You can clear ten miles. You don’t have to venture hundreds of miles away.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton is forecast to drop 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rain as it crosses central Florida and heads toward the Atlantic Ocean. That path often saves others States destroyed by HelenIt killed at least 230 people in its path from Florida Carolinas.
As climate change worsens the conditions that allow warming waters to thrive, recurring hurricanes rapidly intensify into stronger storms. Milton is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1.
Tampa Bay hasn’t been hit directly by a major hurricane since 1921, and officials fear its luck is about to run out. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued increasingly dire warnings, noting that a 15-foot surge could swallow an entire house.
“So if you’re in it, that’s basically the coffin you’re in,” he said.
Because even historic hurricanes like Andrew, Harvey and Katrina didn’t actually hit a major metropolitan area directly, there’s no better recent example of how bad it could be. They were all on the sidelines, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami.
“It’s hard to see where this is going to come out. If this isn’t the worst case … the next worst case is even worse,” McNoldy said.
Much of Florida’s west coast was under a hurricane or tropical storm warning as the system spun off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and crawled ashore, absorbing energy. Warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A cyclone warning was extended to the eastern coastal areas of the state on Tuesday morning.
In Riverview, south of Tampa, several drivers waiting in a long line for gas Tuesday morning said they had no plans to leave.
“I think we’ll hang on, you know – it’s tough,” said Martin Oakes of nearby Apollo Beach. “We’ve closed the shutters. The house is all set. So this is the last piece of the puzzle.”
Ralph Douglas, who lives in neighboring Ruskin, said he will stay the same because he’s worried about running out of gas or being blocked by debris trying to get back after the storm.
“Where I’m at right now, I don’t think I want to leave,” he said.
At the Tampa airport, John Fedor and his wife tried to catch a cab to a hurricane relief center after missing several flights to Philadelphia. They hoped taking a Caribbean cruise would bring them closer, but tensions escalated after travel delays cost them nearly $1,000 on unplanned transportation and hotel rooms. After a two-mile walk to the airport, Fedor’s suitcase cracked open and the wheels broke. They thought of driving home or taking the train, but nothing worked.
“It’s like we’re stuck here,” Fedor said.
President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Florida, the White House announced Tuesday. Postpone travel to Germany and Angola To track the storm.
“This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in a century,” Biden told reporters. “If God wills it will not happen. But now it seems that way,” he said.
Preparing for a hurricane
Jaime Hernandez, director of emergency management for Hollywood in Atlantic Beach, Florida, says her team encourages people to do three key things: Make a plan, keep an emergency kit and stay informed.
Preparing for a typhoon includes getting supplies in advance, including non-perishable food and water, in case the power goes out and supplies run low in the community. Preparedness also includes ensuring that all medical supplies and medicines are ready in case people are unable to leave their homes.
Emergency kit requirements
A rule of thumb is to have 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water per person per day for about seven days, Hernandez says. It is better to have cash on hand as ATMs may not work.
Getting out before the storm
Officials advise residents to ask their local emergency management officials for the most updated information on evacuation zones.
These excerpts were originally published on July 2, 2024 Hurricane season 2024 is here. Here’s how to be prepared.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has nearly 900 personnel in the region and has stocked two staging areas with 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water, the White House said.
Stragglers were a problem during Helen’s time and Ian in 2022. Many residents said they were evacuated during previous storms only because the big waves didn’t act. But there was evidence Tuesday that people had heeded warnings to evacuate before Milton arrived.
The Florida Highway Patrol reported heavy northbound and eastbound traffic on all roadways and said state troopers were escorting fuel tankers to help distribute gasoline.
About 150 miles (240 kilometers) south of Tampa, Fort Myers Beach was almost a ghost town. Ian devastated the community two years ago with its 15-foot (4.5-meter) storm surge. Fourteen people died there. On Tuesday, the nearby Callosahatchee River was already turbulent, slamming hard against the sea wall.
David Jolving and his family spent the morning putting planters and outdoor furniture at his parents’ house, which was heavily damaged by Ian. They went back only six months ago.
“It’s getting old and it seems to be getting worse every year,” said Jolving, who is counting on her parents to move. He is also considering leaving Florida.
“I can’t deal with another one,” he said.
In southwest Florida, the streets of the beach town of Punta Gorda are still littered with furniture, books, toys and some of the hot tubs destroyed by Helen. Scott Joyner, who described bull sharks swimming in flooded streets during that storm, said the city was trying to pick up debris, but there wasn’t enough time before Milton.
“Water is a boon, but it is also deadly,” he said.
AP AUDIO: Florida is preparing for Hurricane Milton, now a Category 4 storm, reports reporter Julie Walker.
AP reporter Julie Walker reports that Florida is preparing for Hurricane Milton, now a Category 4 storm.
___
Spencer reported from Fort Myers Beach. Associated Press writers Holly Ramer in New Hampshire, Kurt Anderson and Kate Payne in Tampa, Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale, Seth Borenstein in Washington and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.
