Floridians are bracing themselves as tornadoes hit the state ahead of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall in the Tampa area on Wednesday night. With 5.9 million people in the Tampa area under mandatory evacuation orders, the state is facing a dire situation.
This marks the first time in over a century that Tampa is directly in the path of a hurricane, following the recent havoc caused by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago. Authorities are warning of storm surges that could reach up to 15ft above ground level, with the possibility of “catastrophic” flash-flooding.
Initially classified as a Category 4 storm, Hurricane Milton has since been downgraded to a Category 3 storm with winds between 111 and 129 mph. However, meteorologists are cautioning that the winds could still be felt 200 miles from the center of the storm, possibly expanding to 240 miles.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the storm was located 120 miles southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of almost 130 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is expected to make landfall between 10pm EST on Wednesday and 2am EST on Thursday.
Residents are urged to take precautions and stay informed about the situation as it continues to develop. Emergency services are on high alert to respond to any emergencies that may arise as Hurricane Milton approaches.
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Video “Tornadoes hit Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton” was uploaded on 10/09/2024 to Youtube Channel The Times and The Sunday Times