Tampa's Mayor, Jane Castor, has issued a dire warning to the city's residents as the powerful Hurricane Milton approaches, emphasizing the critical need for evacuation to prevent loss of life. "Helene was a wake-up call," she stated. "This is literally catastrophic. I can say without any exaggeration that if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation zones, you will die," asserted the official, underscoring the imminent dangers posed by Milton's proximity.
As reported by Local 10, this message arrives at a pivotal moment, coinciding with one of the largest evacuations on Florida's west coast. Traffic reports indicate severe congestion on Interstate 75 as people rush to safety.
In Florida, 11 counties have been placed under mandatory evacuation orders, leading to a 150% surge in traffic as many flee areas expected to be impacted by the storm. In response, Governor Ron DeSantis has announced the suspension of tolls in central and western Florida, as well as on Alligator Alley, starting at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 7, 2024, to facilitate evacuation efforts. This measure will remain in effect for a week, until October 14, and may be extended if necessary.
The Florida Department of Education has announced widespread closures of schools and universities in the coming days, depending on the anticipated level of impact in each county. Additionally, several flights scheduled to and from Florida, as well as those connecting from the Baltimore-Washington area, have been canceled. Among the most affected airlines are JetBlue, Frontier, Southwest, Delta, United, American, and Spirit.
Despite being downgraded to a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, Hurricane Milton remains a formidable force and is expected to grow in size as it nears Florida's west coast, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). "Today is the last full day for Florida residents to prepare their homes and families and, if necessary, evacuate in accordance with local authorities' guidance," warned the U.S. meteorological entity.
The hurricane is moving east-northeast at 19 km/h and is anticipated to continue on this path, approaching Florida's west coast by October 9, where it could make landfall as a major hurricane.