'Time to shelter', warns NWS as Hurricane Milton nears Florida and window for evacuation ends

9 October 2024, 20:49 | Updated: 9 October 2024, 21:02

The National Weather Service has said it is "time to shelter" as Hurricane Milton hurtles towards Florida's West Coast.

Tornadoes have been spotted across the state as it prepares for the Category 4 hurricane to make landfall - along with winds of up to 165mph.

"Unless a life-threatening situation arises, stay indoors and follow updates," the service added.

The warning also means the time for evacuation has ended.

Nearly 6 million people are under mandatory evacuation orders.

Earlier, President Joe Biden said getting out of Florida before the storm arrived was a matter of "life and death".

Earlier, the National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Milton is "growing in size" as it nears the west coast of Florida.

The water levels in the Naples Bay and Fort Myers are starting to rise, according to the NOAA.

Read more: LIVE: Hurricane Milton 'growing in size' as it nears coast as residents urged to shelter before 'storm of the century'

Read more: 'Worst storm in a century': Florida braces for Hurricane Milton after Category 5 storm barrels through Mexico

It was expected to make landfall on Wednesday night in the Tampa Bay area - from around 7pm UK time.

The region has a population of more than 3.3 million people.

The storm is likely to strike first in the less populated areas south of Tampa, but forecasters said "it is critical to remember that even at 24 hours out, it is still not possible to pinpoint an exact landfall location."

The 11 Florida counties under mandatory evacuation orders are home to about 5.9 million people.

Governor Ron DeSantis said the state deployed over 300 dump trucks that had removed 1,300 loads of debris left behind by Hurricane Helene.

Fluctuations in the storm's intensity are likely while Milton moves across the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Centre said, but it is expected to be a dangerous storm when it reaches Florida.

ISS footage shows sheer scale of Hurricane Milton over the Gulf of Mexico