Hurricane Milton: Florida prepares for biggest evacuation since 2017
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Florida is preparing for Hurricane Milton, which is projected to hit the state just two weeks after Hurricane Helene, with authorities calling on people to prepare for possibly the biggest evacuation in seven years.
Milton intensified in the Gulf of Mexico from a tropical storm to hurricane on Sunday, and is expected to make landfall on Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area. It will likely remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida into the Atlantic Ocean.
“I have the state emergency response team preparing for the largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since 2017’s Hurricane Irma,” Kevin Guthrie, director of Florida’s emergency management division, said during a press briefing.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 51 counties. “If you’re on that west coast of Florida, barrier islands, just assume you’ll be asked to leave,” he told the public.
DeSantis also warned of storm surges and power outages potentially surpassing those seen after Helene.
Hurricane Helene, which battered six states (including Florida) and killed more than 200 people, was the deadliest named storm to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.