Hurricane Milton expected to hit Florida midweek, likely to get stronger

Governor DeSantis expanded the authorities of exigency to 51 counties connected Sunday and urged radical successful evacuation zones, particularly connected Florida’s westbound seashore and obstruction islands, to get acceptable to leave. “I don’t deliberation there’s immoderate script wherever we don’t person large impacts astatine this point,” helium said, adding that radical should person capable food, water, and different supplies for astatine slightest a week.

The Tampa Bay area, inactive cleaning up aft Helene, is preparing for much damage. Twelve radical died successful the portion during Helene, and DeSantis has sent National Guard troops to assistance wide debris and hole for Milton. Pinellas County schools successful St. Petersburg person already closed from Monday to Wednesday, and section officials are offering escaped parking successful metropolis garages to support cars from imaginable flooding.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is moving intimately with Florida’s government, preparing resources and effect plans up of Milton’s arrival. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the bureau is acceptable to grip some the ongoing betterment from Helene and the upcoming storm.

As Hurricane Milton approaches, dense rainfall is expected, with up to a ft of rainfall imaginable successful immoderate areas by Wednesday night. Florida’s Division of Emergency Management is preparing for 1 of the largest evacuations since Hurricane Irma successful 2017, and is making definite substance and exigency supplies are disposable on evacuation routes.

Meanwhile, successful the Atlantic, Hurricane Kirk has weakened to a Category 2 storm, bringing unsafe waves to Bermuda and the US eastbound coast. Hurricane Leslie is besides retired successful the ocean, posing nary contiguous menace to land. However, Milton remains the main absorption arsenic it nears Florida, with officials urging everyone to beryllium ready.

(With inputs from AP)