On Wednesday, Floridians had one final opportunity to evacuate or seek shelter ahead of Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 5 storm that could become one of the most destructive hurricanes to ever strike Florida’s Gulf Coast.
With over 1 million residents in coastal regions under mandatory evacuation orders, highways became heavily congested, and fuel shortages at gas stations further heightened anxiety in a state still reeling from Hurricane Helene, which hit less than two weeks ago.
Hurricane Milton is currently tracking toward the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, home to more than 3 million people. However, meteorologists cautioned that the storm’s path could shift before it makes landfall, expected late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.
The storm is taking an unusual west-to-east route through the Gulf of Mexico, and it is predicted to bring a life-threatening storm surge of 10 feet (3 meters) or more along much of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Officials, including U.S. President Joe Biden and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, have urged residents in evacuation zones to leave immediately, warning that staying behind could be fatal.
Michael Tylenda, who was visiting his son in Tampa, said he was following the evacuation order. “If anyone knows anything about Florida, it’s that if you don’t evacuate when you’re told to, you’re risking your life,” Tylenda said. “There have been too many cases of people staying and drowning in their homes. It’s not worth it. The house and possessions can be replaced, but lives can’t. It’s better to leave town.”
