Hurricane Milton Looms: Florida's Urgent Evacuation Effort

Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm, approaches Florida's Gulf Coast, prompting over a million evacuations. With a life-threatening storm surge expected, residents rush to leave, facing fuel shortages and traffic. Authorities warn of dire consequences for those who stay as Milton intensifies swiftly.

Hurricane Milton, a formidable Category 5 storm, is barreling toward Florida's Gulf Coast, prompting urgent evacuation orders for over a million residents. With predictions of catastrophic impacts, including a life-threatening storm surge, nervous residents have one last day to flee or brace for its arrival late Wednesday.

As highways bottlenecked and fuel supplies dwindled, the National Hurricane Center issued severe warnings about the storm's path, which threatens the heavily populated Tampa Bay area. Despite uncertainties in the exact landfall location, Milton's intensity and growing size pose significant risks to coastal regions.

Officials, from President Joe Biden to local leaders, emphasize the necessity of evacuation in the face of a storm surge potentially exceeding 10 feet. With the storm expected to maintain its power across Florida, the economic ramifications are vast, affecting sectors from tourism to energy across the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)