In Tampa, Florida, residents are following evacuation orders as Hurricane Milton approaches, creating a dramatic increase in traffic out of the city. Originally weakened to a Category 4 storm, Milton regained strength and was classified as a Category 5 on the afternoon of October 8, with landfall projected for the Tampa Bay area on the evening of October 9. The state has issued mandatory evacuation orders for 11 counties, impacting around 5.9 million people.
President Biden has made an urgent appeal to those in the storm’s path, stating, “evacuate now,” and underscoring the critical nature of this action as a “matter of life and death.”
This impending storm poses a historic threat to the Tampa Bay area, marking the first direct hit from a significant hurricane since 1921. In light of the hurricane’s approach, airlines, utility companies, and major attractions such as Universal Studios have paused operations to prepare. Orlando International Airport, one of the busiest in the U.S., announced it would stop operations at 8 AM on October 9, while Tampa International Airport closed its doors a day earlier.
Biden described Hurricane Milton as possibly the most severe storm to strike Florida in over a century. After receiving updates from disaster response officials, he revealed that he spoke with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis the previous evening and provided his personal contact information to ensure the state has ample federal support.
Before the hurricane makes landfall, Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida and urged airlines to prioritize evacuations without excessive fare increases. He stressed the importance of residents following evacuation guidance from state officials. To manage the government’s disaster response, Biden has postponed diplomatic visits to Germany and Angola, originally scheduled for October 10 to 15.
As of the afternoon of October 8, over 2,000 flights had been disrupted, with 1,311 delays and 701 cancellations reported by FlightAware, and these numbers are likely to escalate.
Amid the storm’s approach, local residents began to panic buy, creating long lines at gas stations, many of which quickly ran out of fuel. Energy companies in Tampa have begun shutting down pipelines and fuel distribution centers, with reports confirming that Kinder Morgan’s Central Florida Pipeline system is now closed.
With Hurricane Milton set to make a potentially catastrophic impact, residents in the Tampa Bay area are evacuating, spurred by increasing anxiety. Local officials are working tirelessly to safeguard furniture and appliances, and Craig Fugate, former FEMA head and a veteran of Florida’s emergency management, remarked, “Today is the last day to be prepared.”
It’s worth noting that just weeks ago, Florida’s densely populated west coast experienced severe destruction from Hurricane Helene. After making landfall, Hurricane Milton is anticipated to remain a dangerous storm, capable of inflicting massive damage and extended power outages.
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