Although the storm had previously weakened to a Category 4, the US National Hurricane Center said on October 8 that the Florida's West Coast”>Hurricane Milton It had regained strength and was again a Category 5 hurricane.
Hurricane Milton continues its course Tuesday night toward the west coast of Florida, traveling northeast through the Gulf of Mexico at about 17 km/h, according to the latest advisory from the US National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Milton passes
As of 8:00 p.m. EDT, the storm was 710 km southwest of Tampa. Its maximum sustained winds were 270 kph, making it still a Category 5 hurricane.
“Fluctuations in intensity are likely as Milton moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but Milton is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches Florida’s west-central coast late Wednesday,” the storm said. hurricane center.
Storm surge and hurricane warnings for the west and east coasts of Florida remain in effect.
FEMA fights rumors after Helene
On the eve of Milton’s arrival, rumors surrounding Hurricane Helene are many.
There are false claims that people receiving federal aid could have their land confiscated, that $750 is the most they will receive to rebuild, or that the agency’s director, on the ground since the storm, was beaten and hospitalized.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the US agency in charge of responding to disasters, has been fighting misinformation since Helene hit Florida almost two weeks ago, causing widespread destruction on its way north. .
The false claims are being fueled by former President Donald Trump just before the presidential election, and come as the agency is preparing to respond to a second major disaster: Hurricane Milton.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told reporters Tuesday that she had never seen a misinformation problem as serious as with Helene, which hit hard in North Carolina, a key state to win the election.
Health centers in the path of Hurricane Milton prepare for “the worst”
Hospitals and other health care facilities on Florida’s Gulf Coast, still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene, are preparing for Hurricane Milton.
Long-term care facilities in counties with mandatory evacuations are taking their patients elsewhere, while hospitals are on guard, preparing to stay open during the storm.
According to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ website, ten hospitals have reported evacuations as of Tuesday afternoon and 300 health care facilities, including nursing homes and assisted living centers, have evacuated as of this morning, the deputy secretary of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, Kim Smoak.
Steve McCoy, head of the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Emergency Medical Supervision, said it was the “largest evacuation ever conducted” in the state.
Milton could make landfall a little south of Tampa Bay, forecasters say
Hurricane Milton’s forecast track wavered slightly on Tuesday, meaning it could make landfall Wednesday slightly south of Tampa Bay, according to the latest forecast from the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
Still, Milton is expected to hit the entire region.
It is difficult to predict the exact place where it will make landfall, even a day and a half before its arrival. Predictions could be off by about 100 kilometers, the hurricane center said.
About 3.3 million people live in the Tampa metropolitan region. The areas south of Tampa are less populated, the largest nearby city is Sarasota, about 80 kilometers to the south.
The Pentagon deploys forces in North Carolina after the passage of Helene
The Pentagon has deployed 1,500 troops to North Carolina to help clear emergency routes, search and rescue with helicopters and deliver food, water and other resources to areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene, a Pentagon spokeswoman said. , Sabrina Singh.
About 5,000 National Guard members from 19 different states work in North Carolina.
In Florida, more than 5,000 members of the state’s National Guard have been mobilized to prepare for Hurricane Milton. In addition, the US Northern Army is providing high-altitude vehicles and helicopters for search and rescue operations.
With information from DW/AP.
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