Giant Hurricane Gains Strength: "A Matter of Life and Death"

Southeastern USA has barely recovered after meter-high storm floods swept in with the bad weather Helene last week. Now, Hurricane Milton is on its way to Florida. Up to six million inhabitants have been urged to evacuate ahead of what could be the worst bad weather in a hundred years.

» Published: October 09 2024

Giant Hurricane Gains Strength: "A Matter of Life and Death"
Photo: Rebecca Blackwell/AP/TT

In Sanibel, a community on a sandbank island off the coast cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral in western Florida, residents filled thousands of sandbags on Tuesday to set up some form of protection for their homes and other buildings.

By 10 pm, everyone was forced to leave. Then, it became forbidden to stay on the island – people who stay risk being arrested, the authorities have warned.

The hurricane is expected to reach Florida's west coast late on Wednesday evening, local time.

It's not the time to play hero. It's not the time to try to stand against the floodwaters that are coming, said Mayor Richard Johnson before the large-scale evacuation, reports local newspaper News-Press.

"Very, very powerful"

Almost two weeks ago, Hurricane Helene caused enormous destruction and many deaths. Floodwaters caused record-high water levels in several areas. As Hurricane Milton approaches, storm surges are expected to reach up to three and a half meters high, sweeping into areas that were not among the worst affected last time.

Evacuation orders have been issued for most communities along the state's west coast and its many long sandbank islands. In those areas, around 5.9 million residents live, according to news agency AP, citing official statistics on the number of registered residents. Rescue services have warned that no one can count on being rescued once the storm has arrived.

You should evacuate now, now, now. You should have evacuated already. It's a matter of life and death, and it's no exaggeration, warned President Joe Biden at a press conference at the White House on Tuesday.

Worst in a century

Milton has had wind speeds of over 80 meters per second at times. On Tuesday, it was upgraded again to category five on the five-grade hurricane scale.

Further north along the coast, long traffic jams formed northward. In particularly storm-hit Saint Petersburg, bulldozers have tried to clear as much debris as possible from the streets so that it doesn't blow around and cause even greater damage.

If the forecasts hold and Milton continues in its predicted direction, the metropolitan area around Tampa Bay will be hit by the worst storm in over 100 years.

In the best-case scenario, the hurricane will move eastward towards the Atlantic without passing through more affected states.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in southeastern USA on September 26. It caused destruction and flooding in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. In many communities, streets were completely flooded, highways were washed away, and bridges collapsed. In some areas, buildings and containers were swept away in flooded rivers.

At least 232 people died in a total of six states – most in North Carolina – and many are still missing, making Helene the second-deadliest storm to hit the American mainland in the last 50 years, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

In many areas of the affected states, people had not expected the storm to reach so far inland and cause such extensive damage, especially in higher-lying areas near the Appalachian Mountains.

Analysis firms have estimated that many affected households lacked the right insurance for this and that the hurricane has caused uninsured damages equivalent to hundreds of billions of kronor.

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Sperm Whale Found Dead on
1 MIN READ

Sperm Whale Found Dead on Danish Beach Near Aarhus

Argentina Opens Secret Files on
1 MIN READ

Argentina Opens Secret Files on Nazi Refugees and Their Financiers

Suspected Worst Rapist in UK
1 MIN READ

Suspected Worst Rapist in UK History Faces New Allegations

Liberal Judge Susan Crawford Wins
1 MIN READ

Liberal Judge Susan Crawford Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat

Man Rescued Alive in Myanmar
1 MIN READ

Man Rescued Alive in Myanmar Five Days After Earthquake

Israel Intensifies Gaza Offensive, Targets
2 MIN READ

Israel Intensifies Gaza Offensive, Targets Southern Regions

Frederiksen Visits Greenland as Concerns
2 MIN READ

Frederiksen Visits Greenland as Concerns Over US Interest Persist

China Conducts Military Drills Near
2 MIN READ

China Conducts Military Drills Near Taiwan, Escalating Tensions

White House Evaluates Economic Impact
2 MIN READ

White House Evaluates Economic Impact of Potential Greenland Acquisition

WWII Codebreaker Charlotte Webb, Honored
2 MIN READ

WWII Codebreaker Charlotte Webb, Honored by Queen, Dies at 101

Russian Envoy Dmitrijev to Meet
1 MIN READ

Russian Envoy Dmitrijev to Meet US Officials in Washington Talks

Genre image
1 MIN READ

Russian Drone Strikes in Ukraine Leave One Dead, Injure Several

Cory Booker's 25-Hour Senate Speech
3 MIN READ

Cory Booker's 25-Hour Senate Speech Sets Record in Trump Protest

Trump Adviser Faces Scrutiny Over
2 MIN READ

Trump Adviser Faces Scrutiny Over Private Email Use in Security Role

Zelenskyj Seeks Support for Potential
1 MIN READ

Zelenskyj Seeks Support for Potential Peacekeeping Forces in Ukraine

Denmark Sets 18-Year Age Limit
1 MIN READ

Denmark Sets 18-Year Age Limit for High-Alcohol Drinks

Le Pen Awaits Appeal Verdict
2 MIN READ

Le Pen Awaits Appeal Verdict on 2027 Election Ban Next Summer

Fourth Missing US Soldier Found
1 MIN READ

Fourth Missing US Soldier Found Dead in Lithuania

Russian Advances in Eastern Ukraine
1 MIN READ

Russian Advances in Eastern Ukraine Slow for Fourth Month

Bird Flu Outbreak Hits Danish
1 MIN READ

Bird Flu Outbreak Hits Danish Farm, 24 Chickens Culled

23 States Sue Trump Administration
2 MIN READ

23 States Sue Trump Administration Over Health Funding Cuts

Europol Set for Expansion in
1 MIN READ

Europol Set for Expansion in New EU Security Strategy

Search Continues for Missing Plane
1 MIN READ

Search Continues for Missing Plane in Norway with Two Feared Dead

Danish Police Arrest 10 Bandidos
1 MIN READ

Danish Police Arrest 10 Bandidos Gang Members at Sejet Inn

German EU Politician Faces Probe
1 MIN READ

German EU Politician Faces Probe Over Controversial Nazi Greeting Post

EU Eyes Boosting Eastern Infrastructure
1 MIN READ

EU Eyes Boosting Eastern Infrastructure for Defense and Development

23 States Sue Trump Administration
2 MIN READ

23 States Sue Trump Administration Over $11 Billion Health Cuts

Israel Sets Record for Palestinian
3 MIN READ

Israel Sets Record for Palestinian Home Demolitions in West Bank

Red Cross Faces Deadliest Attack
2 MIN READ

Red Cross Faces Deadliest Attack in Eight Years During Gaza Conflict

Georgia Approves US-Inspired Agent Law
1 MIN READ

Georgia Approves US-Inspired Agent Law After Criticism

Scottish Fisherman Missing Since 2021
1 MIN READ

Scottish Fisherman Missing Since 2021 Identified on Norwegian Coast

Ukraine Election Preparations Denied by
1 MIN READ

Ukraine Election Preparations Denied by Zelenskyj's Party Leader

Genre image
1 MIN READ

Norwegian Man Gets Life for Murdering Finnish Hockey Star Janne Puhakka

Denmark Sees Highest Wolf Population
1 MIN READ

Denmark Sees Highest Wolf Population in Modern History

USA and Ukraine Resume Talks
1 MIN READ

USA and Ukraine Resume Talks on Key Mineral Agreement

Finland Prepares to Exit Ottawa
1 MIN READ

Finland Prepares to Exit Ottawa Treaty on Personal Mines

Denmark Boosts Defense with 130
1 MIN READ

Denmark Boosts Defense with 130 New Armored Vehicles from Finland

Media Worker Killed in Gaza
1 MIN READ

Media Worker Killed in Gaza as Evacuations Ordered in the North

Palestinian Teen Dies in Israeli
2 MIN READ

Palestinian Teen Dies in Israeli Prison After Six Months Without Charge

Bardella Slams Le Pen Verdict
1 MIN READ

Bardella Slams Le Pen Verdict as Politically Driven in EU Funds Case