Haunting footage shows abandoned streets of Florida coastal towns as Hurricane Milton nears

9 October 2024, 12:45 | Updated: 9 October 2024, 13:37

Cities and towns have been left abandoned as Hurricane Milton nears the Florida coastline, as thousands flee their homes.

Haunting aerial footage has shown once bustling cities left completely abandoned as Floridians seek shelter from what threatens to be the most powerful storm to hit the region in a century.

Milton is barrelling towards the coast of western Florida with winds reaching up to 165mph - making it a strong Category 5 hurricane - the highest category.

People living in Milton's path have been urged to move away, with authorities warning that they are likely to die if they stay in place.

Read more: LIVE: Florida weather warnings updated as millions face race against time to escape ‘unsurvivable’ Hurricane Milton

Many residents, it would seem, have already made their escape, with aerial footage of Flordia’s Treasure Island showing a once bustling town left completely empty.

Writing alongside the footage, the town’s official X account said: “Heartbreaking aerial footage of Treasure Island shows a once vibrant city still reeling from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene, now a ghost town as Hurricane Milton takes aim.

“The eerie calm before the storm feels surreal as families flee to safety, leaving behind a city bracing for the unknown. Stay strong, stay safe, and continue to heed the warnings to evacuate.”

Milton is set to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday at 2pm local time at the earliest - 7pm UK time.

This timing is inexact and subject to change, as the storm's speed changes over time.

But Milton is set to arrive by early Thursday local time at the latest.

Milton is set to hit the central Florida coast, although the exact location is unclear at the moment.

The centre of the storm could hit the city of Tampa, where around 400,000 people live. Many more live in the surrounding area.

There is also a possibility the main brunt of the storm could be borne further south in Fort Myers, which is over 100 miles away. Curfews have also been brought in in some areas.

Serious impacts from the storm could also be felt in Orlando and Daytona Beach, further east.

Everyone has been urged to leave the area because of the deadly impact of the storm.

More than a million people are under evacuation orders, but efforts to get away have been hampered by huge traffic jams and petrol shortages.

Tampa mayor Jane Castor said: "This is literally catastrophic, and I can say without any dramatisation whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die."