Hurricane Milton Approaches Florida as Biden Warns of Severe Damage

Photo : Reuters

Tampa: Florida is bracing for a direct hit from Hurricane Milton, which has intensified back to a Category 5 storm. U.S. President Joe Biden has issued urgent warnings, describing the potential impact as possibly the worst natural disaster to strike the state in a century. This marks the second major hurricane to approach Florida's west coast within just two weeks, intensifying fears and prompting residents to evacuate and secure their homes.

"It's a matter of life and death, and that's not hyperbole," Biden stated during a briefing from the White House. He emphasized the need for residents under evacuation orders to "leave now, now, now."

Biden’s warnings come amid a contentious pre-election climate, with Vice President Kamala Harris criticizing former President Donald Trump for spreading false claims regarding the federal recovery efforts after the earlier Hurricane Helene.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel 

As of Tuesday, Hurricane Milton has regained its maximum Category 5 status, with sustained winds reaching 165 mph (270 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The NHC cautioned that while the storm may fluctuate in intensity as it moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, it is expected to remain a dangerous hurricane when it reaches Florida's west-central coast on Wednesday night.

Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the press, outlining the extensive areas at risk: "Basically the entire peninsula portion of Florida is under some type of either a watch or a warning," he stated, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.

Airlines are responding by adding extra flights out of Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers, and Sarasota as highways are becoming increasingly congested with residents trying to escape the storm. Gas stations in many areas have reported fuel shortages due to high demand.

Hurricane expert Michael Lowry warned that Milton's storm surge could be even worse than what was observed during Hurricane Helene, which had already caused significant flooding in the Tampa area, home to around three million residents. "Milton's storm surge could double the surge levels from two weeks ago," he said.

In light of the situation, Biden has postponed a planned trip to Germany and Angola to oversee the federal response efforts. This follows rising concerns that storm relief efforts have become politicized in the lead-up to the presidential election on November 5. Trump has been vocal about frustrations regarding the emergency response to Hurricane Helene, claiming that disaster relief funds were misallocated toward migrant issues.

Biden denounced Trump’s comments as "un-American" while Harris expressed her concerns about the dangers of misinformation impacting the federal response to natural disasters. During an appearance on a late-night talk show, she challenged Trump directly: "It's crude. Have you no empathy, man, for the suffering of other people?"

Across Florida, scenes of frantic preparations have unfolded, with long lines of vehicles forming at facilities in Tampa as residents pick up sandbags to protect their properties from anticipated flooding. John Gomez, a 75-year-old from Chicago, defied evacuation advice and traveled to Florida to secure his second home. "I think it's better to be here in case something happens," he said while waiting for sandbags.

Experts attribute the increasing intensity of storms like Milton to global warming, which contributes to warmer ocean surfaces and releases more water vapor—providing additional energy for hurricanes. On Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released footage from a specialized aircraft named "Miss Piggy," which ventured into the storm to collect data on its intensity and structure.

Meanwhile, communities still reeling from Hurricane Helene's devastation are busy clearing debris that could become dangerous projectiles during Milton's approach. In Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, strong winds from Milton have toppled trees and power lines, leading to localized flooding; however, major damage has been avoided as the storm remains offshore.

Across the southeastern United States, emergency responders are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which claimed at least 230 lives across multiple states. Helene struck Florida's coast on September 26 as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, resulting in catastrophic flooding in remote towns in North Carolina and Tennessee, marking it as the deadliest natural disaster on the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As the region prepares for Hurricane Milton, officials stress the importance of safety and preparedness.

#trending #latest #HurricaneMilton #FloridaStorm #NaturalDisaster #EmergencyPreparedness #HurricaneSeason #Evacuation #WeatherAlert #Category5Hurricane #TampaBay #StormSurge #GlobalWarming #HurricaneRelief #DisasterResponse #SafetyFirst #FloridaWeather #headlines #topstories #globalUpdate #dxbnewsnetwork #dxbnews #dxbdnn #dxbnewsnetworkdnn #bestnewschanneldubai #bestnewschannelUAE #bestnewschannelabudhabi #bestnewschannelajman #bestnewschannelofdubai #popularnewschanneldubai

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has called for a nationwide prayer for rain to be held in all mosques across the UAE on Saturday, Dece...Read More.

The real estate industry in Nigeria remains strong, with many investors expected to protect their assets from economic uncertainties, especially inflation, in 2...Read More.