Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Milton have received a last-ditch emergency alert to “GET OUT NOW” ahead of the storm making landfall on Wednesday night.
While Milton’s intensity continues to fluctuate, and again weakening to a Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Center predicts it will be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida”.
The storm continues to grow in size and winds are expected to pick up on Florida’s west coast this afternoon, the NHC warned.
In Pinellas County’s latest emergency alert, officials pleaded with residents to “GET OUT NOW. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET OUT BEFORE THE STORM.”
Federal and state officials have urged those in Milton’s path to evacuate to avoid “catastrophic” winds, up to 18in rainfall and up to 15ft of storm surge, before the major hurricane slams into Florida’s west-central coast.
“This is the 11th hour. If you’re in an evacuation zone, the time to get out is now,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chard Chronister told CNN on Wednesday.
Vice President Kamala Harris warned that even the toughest Floridians won’t weather the “historic” hurricane, she said on The Late Show on Tuesday night.
Criswell hits back at false claim over $750 FEMA Serious Needs Assistance
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said Wednesday that misinformation was harming hurricane response efforts, with residents not registering for the help that they need or asking for FEMA assistance.
She said people feared if they didn’t pay back the $750 FEMA provides in Serious Needs Assistance, their homes would be taken.
“Simply untrue,” Criswell said.
That amount of money is what is immediately available to eligible survivors for food, water, and other basics – but they may qualify for more financial assistance to cover storm damage. People can apply for that assistance through the FEMA helpline, the FEMA app, at a disaster recovery center location, or at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Julia Musto9 October 2024 19:44
Chilling disaster simulation predicted devastation Category 5 hurricane would bring to Tampa over a decade before Milton
A chilling disaster simulation predicted the devastation a Category 5 hurricane like Milton would unleash on Tampa over a decade ago.
Now, the effects of the worst-case-scenario hypothetical storm – dubbed Hurricane Phoenix – could become a reality for Floridians who are bracing for “life-threatening” Milton to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday night, with forecasters warning it could be the “worst storm in a century.”
Rhian Lubin has has the full details.
James Liddell9 October 2024 19:30
FEMA administrator says misinformation creates level of mistrust that is ‘un-American’
“It’s intentional to create distrust and that level of distrust is, as the president said earlier today, un-American,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said.
Julia Musto9 October 2024 19:29
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell: ‘FEMA is ready’
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell assured mid-Wednesday afternoon that FEMA is “ready” for Hurricane Milton and response to the storm.
“We are built for this,” she said, speaking virtually during the White House press briefing. The administrator is still in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene and is traveling to Florida later in the day.
Thousands of FEMA members are on the ground in Florida for Helene. However, at President Joe Biden’s direction, Criswell said she sent an additional 1,200 search and rescue members, six incident management assistance teams, power assessment teams, and dozens of medical factility assessment personnel to the state. She assured that resources are not taking away from ongoing response efforts.
“Our agency is postured to respond to this storm and maintain our current response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene-impacted states,” Criswell said.
Julia Musto9 October 2024 19:24
Flooding is already seen in Tampa Bay area
Julia Musto9 October 2024 19:20
Video shows storm surge beginning in Naples
Julia Musto9 October 2024 19:15
DeSantis reacts to dog abandoned in Tampa: It is ‘cruel’
Julia Musto9 October 2024 19:11
Milton grows in size off the coast of Florida
The storm is moving about 150 miles southwest of Tampa on Wednesday afternoon.
Julia Musto9 October 2024 19:06
Stunning satellite photo shows Milton from out of space
James Liddell9 October 2024 19:00
Florida state authorities partner with Uber to provide free rides for evacuating residents
Florida state authorities have partnered with Uber to privde free rides for residents struggling to evacuate.
People will be able to access the free rides until 5pm on Wednesday using the code “MiltonRelief1,” governor Ron DeSantis told reporters on Wednesday.
Mike Bedigan9 October 2024 18:52
