INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Hurricane Milton churned Wednesday toward a potentially catastrophic collision along the west coast of Florida, where some residents
insisted they would stay after millions were ordered to evacuate and officials warned that those who stayed behind could die.The Tampa Bay
area, home to more than 3.3 million people, faced the possibility of widespread destruction after avoiding direct hits from major hurricanes
for more than a century, Associated Press reported. The National Hurricane Center predicted Milton, a monstrous Category 5 hurricane during
much of its approach, would likely weaken but remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall late Wednesday.Milton was centered early
Wednesday about 580 kilometers southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h, the National Hurricane Center reported.Hurricane
Milton remains a powerful Category 5 storm with 260km/h winds on way to FloridaForecasters predicted the storm will retain hurricane
strength as it crosses central Florida on Thursday on a path east toward the Atlantic Ocean
The hurricane&s precise track remained uncertain, as forecasters Tuesday evening nudged its projected path slightly south of Tampa.Tampa
Mayor Jane Castor warned residents to leave the city and said those who stayed behind could face death. Two major concerns had authorities
One was the expected storm surge of 4.5 meters, which would be deep enough to swallow an entire house.Secondly, piles of debris in the
streets from Hurricane Helene two weeks ago was another major worry for authorities who said the debris could become deadly projectiles in
the winds. Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders across 11 Florida counties with a
combined population of about 5.9 million people, according to U.S
Census Bureau estimates.Officials have warned that anyone staying behind must fend for themselves, as first responders are not expected to
risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm.The post Time to evacuate is running out as Hurricane Milton closes in on
Florida first appeared on Ariana News.
