Hurricane Milton will soon make landfall on the west coast of Florida. Hurricane Helene caused serious damage there just a few days ago. Now destruction threatens again.
Washington – Around a week and a half after “Helene”, the US state of Florida is preparing for the next dangerous hurricane. “Milton” has gained strength off the west coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico and is now a Category 5 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of up to around 285 kilometers per hour. “Milton” is scheduled to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday. The storm poses an “extremely serious” threat to Florida and is life-threatening, authorities said. According to US media, “Milton” is one of the strongest hurricanes in the history of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Meteorologists expect the storm to hit the Sunshine State’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane with wind speeds of up to 209 kilometers per hour. Despite its decreasing strength, Milton remains dangerous as it is expected to grow in size and affect a large area. The cities of Naples, Fort Meyers and Tampa are particularly at risk.
Record-breaking storm
Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes ever recorded in the region, the National Hurricane Center said. Normally dry areas near the coast could be flooded by the rising waters. Storm surges with water levels of up to five meters and destructive winds are to be expected.
“Get out as quickly as possible. “Don’t wait,” warned Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. While “Helene” mainly brought water, “Milton” will also bring strong wind. Airports in Florida announced that they would be suspending air traffic for the foreseeable future. The airport in Tampa, for example, plans to close from Tuesday, the one in Orlando on Wednesday. The White House announced support for Florida. US President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for the state of Florida. This will release federal funds for support in the affected regions.
Just met by “Helene”.
Florida is still struggling with the damage left by Hurricane Helene. Around a week and a half ago, “Helene” made landfall in northwest Florida as a second-highest category hurricane. The storm then weakened, but caused severe flooding and destruction as it moved north. According to consistent media reports, well over 200 people in six states died – in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump used the disaster for his election campaign and accused Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris of not doing enough for the victims. Harris is running for the Democrats against Trump in the presidential election on November 5th. Both Biden and Harris visited the disaster area several times last week. Biden actually wants to travel to Germany this Thursday. According to his spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, these plans are currently in place. But when asked whether Biden was considering a postponement or cancellation, she responded evasively.
Hurricane season runs until the end of November
Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean water. According to experts, increasing global warming is increasing the likelihood of strong storms. Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins on June 1st and lasts until November 30th. The storms are named in alphabetical order. dpa
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