'Flee or die,' Florida residents warned, as 180mph Hurricane Milton barrels towards major city

8 October 2024, 10:46 | Updated: 8 October 2024, 11:13

Florida residents have been warned they will die if they don't move away from the path of Hurricane Milton, as the huge storm heads towards the coast, amid fears it could bring a 12-foot storm surge.

The storm's winds reached 180mph on Monday night, as it became a Category 5 hurricane - the highest level.

It later weakened to Category 4 with winds of around 155mph as of Tuesday morning. It is expected to reach the US coast overnight on Wednesday into Thursday.

The hurricane is heading for Tampa, a coastal city of around 400,000 people that is thought to be particularly vulnerable to storm surges. Some 3.3 million live in the city and its suburbs.

Tampa Bay, midway down the west coast of Florida, has not been hit directly by a major hurricane since 1921.

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Read more: Florida braces for Hurricane Milton as it strengthens into Category 5 storm

It comes after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the same region less than two weeks ago, killing 12 people in the Tampa area, and around 200 overall in the US.

Milton, which was north of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula as of Tuesday morning, is expected to grow in size before it reaches the coast.

The Tampa mayor warned residents to leave the area before the hurricane makes landfall.

Jane Castor said: "I can say this without any dramatisation whatsoever; if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die.”

She added: "This is the real deal here with Milton. If you want to take on Mother Nature, she wins 100% of the time."

Around 15 million people in the wider region have been placed on hurricane watch.

Forecasters warned that Milton could bring a possible eight- to 12-foot (2.4- to 3.6-metre) storm surge, leading to evacuation orders being issued for beach communities all along the Gulf coast.

The hurricane will also bring very heavy rain, which is likely to cause flash flooding.

US officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that the hurricane "poses an extremely serious threat to Florida and residents are urged to follow the orders of local officials."

President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida, and US representative Kathy Castor said 7,000 federal workers were mobilised to help in one of the largest mobilisations of federal personnel in history.

The strongest Atlantic hurricane on record is 1980's Allen, which reached wind speeds of 190 mph as it moved through the Caribbean and Gulf before striking Texas and Mexico.

The Tampa Bay area is still rebounding from Helene and its powerful surge - a wall of water up to eight feet it created even though its eye was 100 miles offshore.

Twelve people died there, with the worst damage along a string of barrier islands from St Petersburg to Clearwater.

In Florida, that means anyone who stays is on their own and first responders are not expected to risk their lives to rescue them at the height of the storm.

Stragglers were a problem during Helene and 2022's Hurricane Ian. Many residents failed to heed ample warnings, saying they evacuated during previous storms only to have major surges not materialise. But there was evidence on Monday that people were getting out before Milton arrives.

A steady stream of vehicles headed north towards the Florida Panhandle on Interstate 75, the main highway on the west side of the peninsula, as residents heeded evacuation orders.

Traffic clogged the southbound lanes of the highway for miles as other residents headed for the relative safety of Fort Lauderdale and Miami on the other side of the state.

About 150 miles south of Tampa, Fort Myers Beach was nearly a ghost town by Monday afternoon as an evacuation order took effect.

Ian devastated the 5,000-resident community two years ago, its 15-foot storm surge destroying or severely damaging 400 homes and businesses. Fourteen people died there as they tried to ride out the storm, and dozens had to be rescued.

On Monday, the few residents who could be found were racing against the clock to safeguard their buildings and belongings. None said they were staying.

The signs of Ian's devastation remain visible everywhere. Rebuilt homes stand next to others in various states of construction. There are numerous vacant lots, which were once rare.

"This whole street used to be filled out with houses," said Mike Sandell, owner of Pool-Rific Services. His workers were removing and storing pumps and heaters on Monday from his clients' pools so they would not get destroyed.

Home construction supplies like bricks, piping and even workers' outhouses lined the streets, potential projectiles that could do further damage if a surge hits.