Several buildings were damaged, including the mayor's residence in Cocoa Beach, Florida amid apparent tornado from Hurricane Milton which is forecast to cross central Florida and dump as much as 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rain while heading toward the Atlantic Ocean. The storm threatens a stretch of Florida's densely populated west coast that is still reeling from the devastating Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago. An expanding Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida's west coast, spawning tornados and lashing the region with rain as it threatened the Tampa Bay area, where it could deliver a life-threatening surge of seawater, reported Reuters
Hurricane Milton barreled toward Florida's battered Gulf Coast as an enormous Category 5 storm on Tuesday, triggering massive traffic jams and fuel shortages as officials ordered more than 1 million people to flee before it slams into the Tampa Bay area.
Further, Hurricane Milton’s trajectory is also contributing to concerns. While most Atlantic hurricanes travel from east to west, Milton is taking an unusual path, moving east-northeast across the Gulf of Mexico. This rare path gives the storm more time to gather energy from the warm Gulf waters, which are currently fueling its rapid intensification.
As of Tuesday, Milton returned to the maximum Category 5 designation, generating maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (270 kph), the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
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Several buildings damaged, including the mayor's residence in Cocoa Beach, Florida
Rough night in Cocoa Beach. A tornado touched down, damaging businesses and even the mayor’s home. @fox35orlando is live on site surveying damage. We will see much clearer when we have sunlight. pic.twitter.com/NOMmbLYCKY
— Esther Bower (@estherbower_tv) October 10, 2024
Tampa Hospital Prepares For Hurricane With Flood Walls
Tampa General Hospital is bracing for Hurricane Milton by installing a 15-foot AquaFence around its Davis Islands campus and stockpiling essential supplies. Equipped with a water well and energy plant, the hospital is ready to weather the storm and maintain operations.
Biden begs Florida residents to flee as Milton returns to Category 5
US President Joe Biden has begged Florida residents to flee Hurricane Milton, warning that the Category 5 storm could turn into the worst natural disaster to hit the state in a century. "It's a matter of life and death, and that's not hyperbole," Biden said from the White House on Tuesday, urging those under orders to leave to "evacuate now, now, now."
When Will Hurricane Milton Make Landfall
Milton, which exploded on Monday into one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record, was forecast to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.
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