Hurricane Milton strengthens into a Category 5 storm. Florida orders evacuations

On Monday, Hurricane Milton quickly strengthened into a Category 5 storm and moved toward Florida on a path that directly threatened the densely populated Tampa area, threatening the same area that was hit by Hurricane Helen less than two weeks ago. .

The storm's center is likely to make landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area, an area that hasn't experienced a major hurricane in more than a century. Scientists expect the system to weaken slightly before making landfall, however it is still forecast to make landfall as a Category 3 storm or higher.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton currently has maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (257 km/h). The storm's center is currently about 720 miles (1,160 km) southwest of Tampa and moving east-southeast at 9 mph (15 km/h).

The state of Florida has warned residents to prepare their homes and businesses and then leave evacuation zones. Milton is also expected to maintain hurricane strength as it moves toward the Atlantic Ocean, which will help other states affected by Hurricane Helen, which killed at least 230 people on its way from Florida to the Appalachian Mountains.

While evacuation orders have been issued, the storm is expected to bring very heavy waves and create destructive storm surges of 8 to 12 feet (2.4 to 3.6 m) in Tampa Bay and rain between 5 and 10 inches (13 to 25 cm) in Florida and the Keys Islands.

Currently, most of Florida's west coast is under a hurricane and hurricane warning. Meanwhile, in Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located, evacuations were issued for areas adjacent to Tampa Bay and all mobile and manufactured homes until Tuesday night.

According to Sharifi Tampa, "Yes, this is not pleasant. We know this, and this is after where many of us are still rebuilding from Hurricane Helen. But if you protect your families, you will survive."

Many residents remembered Hurricane Irma in 2017, which prompted the evacuation of about 7 million people in Florida. Some of the people who left this time decided never to empty again.

By Monday morning, some gas stations in the Tampa area had run out of fuel. Fuel continues to flow into Florida, however, and the state government has stockpiled hundreds of thousands of gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel, with more on the way.

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