Hurricane Milton could be ‘the worst storm to hit Florida in a century,’ Joe Biden warns

Hurricane Milton could be ‘the worst storm to hit Florida in a century,’ Joe Biden warns
Hurricane Milton could be ‘the worst storm to hit Florida in a century,’ Joe Biden warns

Hurricane Milton could be “the worst storm in Florida in a century,” US President Joe Biden warned this Tuesday. And he called to immediately leave the areas at risk.

“We must evacuate now, now, now”Biden said about areas of this southeastern state where residents have been asked to evacuate their homes. “It’s a matter of life or death” because it is a potentially “devastating” storm, he added.

The president postponed his trip abroad this week because of Hurricane Milton, according to two sources familiar with the planning.

Biden was scheduled to leave for Berlin on Thursday and then travel to Angola in southern Africa, where he would stay until October 15. It would be the first time that the Democrat would travel to the African continent as president.

“Given the projected track and strength of Hurricane Milton, President Biden is postponing his upcoming trip to Germany and Angola to oversee hurricane preparations and response, in addition to the ongoing response to the storm’s impacts across the Southeast. “White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

President Joe Biden called to evacuate areas threatened by Hurricane Milton. Photo: AP

Forecasters and public officials have warned of the effects of Milton and have been strongly encouraging Florida residents in the impact areas to evacuate.

Alert

The “extremely dangerous” Category 4 Hurricane Milton increased in size this Tuesday as it approaches the west coast of Florida, where it is forecast to impact the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday night, the National Center reported. Hurricane Report (NHC)

In its 11 o’clock local time bulletin, the NHC also warned that “today is the last day for Florida residents to prepare” in their homes or evacuate the designated areas, if indicated by local authorities.

Milton, a hurricane that strengthened in record time in the Gulf of until reaching category 5, the largest on the Saffir-Simpson scale, was downgraded this Tuesday to category 4 and its center is expected to make landfall on Wednesday afternoon. night near Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County (west coast of Florida).

The system is located 205 kilometers northeast of Progreso (Mexico) and 835 kilometers southwest of Tampa, on the central west coast of Florida.

Milton presents maximum sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour and is moving with a translational speed of 15 kilometers per hour and is expected to turn towards the northeast.

On the NHC’s forecast track, the center of Milton will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and approach the west-central coast of Florida on Wednesday.

Forecasters noted that “the center is likely to make landfall along the west-central coast of the Florida Peninsula on Wednesday night” and move east-northeast across the center of the state through Thursday.

Video

Most of the devastating hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast, an area that today is in suspense waiting for Milton.

While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton “is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane until it makes landfall in Florida,” they warned.

There is great concern about the storm surge that could be caused Milton in Tampa Bay, between 3 and 4.5 meters. Tropical storm-force winds could reach the Tampa Bay area as early as Wednesday morning.

T The counties of Hillsborough, where Tampa Bay is located, Pinellas and Pasco, Hernando, Manatee and Sarasota on the west coast of Florida, have already issued an order of mandatory evacuation for various areas, as well as for all mobile homes, before the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

“A large area of ​​destructive storm surge with high flooding is expected along a portion of the west and central coast of Florida, so evacuate today if ordered by authorities,” the NHC stressed.

According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began on June 1, could have “above” average activity, with between 8 and 13 hurricanes, of which between 4 and 7 would be of major category.

Since the hurricane season began, nine hurricanes have formed: Beryl, Debby, Ernesto, Francine, Helene, Isaac, Kirk, Lesley and now Milton. EFE

-

NEXT Dodgers fans celebrate in Los Angeles