Washington.-Hurricane Milton was moving toward a potentially catastrophic collision Wednesday along Florida’s west coast, where some residents insisted they would stay after millions of people were ordered to evacuate and authorities warned that stragglers would have few options for shelter. survive.
The Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3.3 million people, faced the possibility of widespread destruction after more than a century without being directly hit by a Category 3 or higher hurricane. The U.S. National Hurricane Center predicted that Milton, a monster Category 5 storm for much of its path toward the coast, would likely weaken but remain a Category 3 or higher when it made landfall Wednesday afternoon.
Early Wednesday, the system was centered about 360 miles (580 kilometers) southeast of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour (260 kilometers per hour), according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters expected the system to retain hurricane strength as it moved across central Florida on Thursday on an easterly path toward the Atlantic Ocean. The exact route remained uncertain, and experts on Tuesday moved their estimate slightly south of Tampa.
Thousands of fleeing cars jammed Florida highways ahead of the storm, but time to evacuate was running out Wednesday. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warned that a 15-foot (4.5-meter) storm surge could swallow an entire home.
“So if you’re in there, that’s basically your coffin,” he said.
Milton is advancing towards towns still affected by the passage of Hurricane Helene two weeks ago, which flooded streets and homes in western Florida on a destructive path that left at least 230 dead in the southern United States.
In the coastal town of Punta Gorda, about 100 miles (160 km) south of Tampa, streets remained flooded Tuesday with piles up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) high of soggy furniture, clothing, books, appliances and other trash. that had been removed from damaged houses.
Many houses were empty, but accountant and art collector Scott Joiner was still on the second floor of the New Orleans-style home he built 17 years ago. Joiner said that when Helene passed and flooded the first floor of his house, there were bull sharks swimming in the flooded streets and a neighbor had to be rescued by canoe.
“Having water is a blessing,” Joiner said, “but it is very deadly.”
Joiner said he planned to make it through another round and hold off Milton there, despite the risk.
Authorities have issued evacuation orders for 11 Florida counties with a total population of 5.9 million people, according to US Census estimates.
Authorities have warned that anyone left behind should fend for themselves, as emergency workers are not expected to risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm.
In Riverview, south of Tampa, several drivers waiting in a long gas line Tuesday said they had no plans to evacuate.
“I think we’ll just stay, you know, ride it out,” said Martin Oakes, of nearby Apollo Beach. “We have blinds in place. The house is ready. So this is like the last piece of the puzzle.”
Others decided not to risk it after Helene.
On Anna Marie Island, at the southern tip of Tampa Bay, Evan Purcell packed up his father’s ashes and tried to catch his 9-year-old cat, McKenzie, as he prepared to leave Tuesday. Helene had left him with thousands of dollars worth of damage when his house flooded. He feared that Milton might take what was left.
“I’m still in shock from the first one and here comes the second round,” Purcell said. “I have a bad feeling about this one.”
State and local governments were trying to clear piles of debris left behind by Helene ahead of the new storm, fearing that the new hurricane would turn the loose debris into missiles. Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state had deployed about 300 dump trucks that had picked up 1,300 loads of debris.
In Mexico, authorities in the state of Yucatán reported minor damage when Milton passed off their coast. The wind knocked down power lines, streetlights and trees, and destroyed some small structures with green roofs, said the governor of Yucatán, Joaquín Díaz. No deaths or injuries were reported.Infobae.
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