Hurricane Milton: Cyclone becomes ‘extremely dangerous’ Category 5 hurricane as it heads towards Florida

Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified this Monday and reached Category 5, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale, as it moved through the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest report that the storm It had maximum sustained winds of 285 km/h And with strong gusts.

Milton was located this Monday at 16:00 (CST) 125 km west-northwest of Progreso, YucatánAccording to the NHC, its forecast path indicates it will reach Florida by midweek.

The cyclone has intensified “explosively” over the past 24 hours, as it reached Category 1 on Sunday afternoon.

“Although fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is expected to remain extremely dangerous storm Unless it makes landfall in Florida,” the NHC said.

Mexican authorities have issued a hurricane warning for the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, which is expected to be hit by heavy rains.

In Florida, state and federal government agencies told residents on the peninsula’s west coast to prepare. One of the largest evacuations since Hurricane Irma in 2017,

Starting this Monday, counties in the potential impact area — such as Charlotte, Citrus, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee and Pasco — began issuing mandatory evacuation order,

Milton is expected to weaken on Tuesday as it passes over the Gulf of Mexico and make landfall in Tampa Bay, Florida, late Wednesday or early Thursday, the BBC’s US news partner CBS News reports. Will turn into a category three storm.

Storms are divided into five categories based on their wind speed. According to the US National Weather Service.Hurricanes of category three or above are considered extremely intense storms. Because there is a possibility of loss of life and property and a lot of damage.

This new emergency comes exactly 10 days after hurricane helen – Deadliest in the US since Katrina in 2005 – Will affect the Southeastern United States At least 225 people diedHundreds of people are still missing.

At least 14 of those deaths occurred in Florida, where 51 of 67 counties are now under a state of emergency as Milton approaches.

The Mexican National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported that Milton would generate widespread “torrential rain at times” Starting this Monday in the states of Campeche and Yucatán.

Coastal populations will be most affected by rain accumulation as well as flooding of rivers and streams. There is also a danger of landslides and floods in low-lying areas. Rainfall accumulation between 15 to 25 cm is expected,

“The population, tourists and maritime navigation are urged to heed the warnings and take extreme precautions against rain, wind and high waves,” SMN said.

President Claudia Sheinbaum also urged residents of those states to continue monitoring new civil protection updates and orders.

Separately, the US NHC issued warnings for Florida for dangerous wind gusts, heavy rains that could cause flash flooding and a storm surge caused by water moving inland from the Gulf Coast.

In the affected areas, Rainfall may reach a maximum of 38 cm And in coastal areas, storm waves of 1.5 to 3.5 meters may occur.

Kevin Guthrie, head of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, asked residents to prepare for “the largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017.” Dozens of people died due to that storm.

Tampa and Orlando airports He announced that operations may be suspended during the state of emergency, so he asked passengers to readjust their plans this week.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said preparations are underway to restore power and clear roads after the hurricane, but people should expect serious impacts when Milton hits the state.

He warned of an emergency and asked residents to make a “preparation plan” Compulsory and voluntary withdrawalHe added that “there was no scenario expected in which we would not have a significant impact.”

In Tampa, there were long lines at supermarkets and gas stations to stock up ahead of the hurricane’s arrival this Monday. Others were looking for sandbags to protect their homes from possible flooding.

The arrival of the new storm comes as the US federal government is working on cleanup efforts for Hurricane Helene. Hundreds of roads are closed in affected areas, making it difficult to send aid to communities in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in late September, causing damage to structures, causing flash flooding and leaving millions of homes without power.

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