Tampa mayor Jane Castor tells those in single story homes who haven’t left that they will “ultimately be in a coffin”
Storm surge will hit “immediately” for Floridians, especially in Tampa and surrounding areas. ABC’s Good Morning America today aired a clip of the city’s mayor, Jane Castor, issuing a sobering warning to those who haven’t evacuated: “If you’re in a single story house and we get a 15ft surge, which means that water comes in immediately, there’s nowhere to go. That home that you’re in ultimately will be a coffin.”
Yesterday, Castor also bluntly told residents that if they’re remain in an evacuation area, “you’re going to die.”
Key events
A tornado has touched down on the I-75 highway in Collier County, near the Big Cypress National Preserve in southern Florida.
Meterologists have warned of tornadoes spawning off this hurricane.
A tornado watch remains in effect for all of southern Florida until at least 9pm today.
Schools repurposed as supplemental state shelters
Most school districts in the state are closed, and several schools are being used as supplemental state shelters.
DeSantis and other emergency officials are urging those in vulnerable areas to seek shelter as there is still so much capacity, adding “it’s not the Four Seasons,” but the message is clear: the alternative is worse.
DeSantis tells residents in evacuation zones there is still time to evacuate. Roads are good, “but not great.”
Floridians can locate an open shelter here: https://www.floridadisaster.org/shelter-status/
352 healthcare facilities, 16 of which are hospitals, in the path of the storm have been evacuated.
State nursing homes, where many elderly veterans live, are now welcoming families of residents. These homes are all located in areas expected to be safe.
6,000 Florida National Guardsmen, as well 3,000 from other states, are being deployed ahead of Milton – the largest Florida national guard search and rescue mobilization in the state’s history.
Over 50,000 linemen will be working on power restoration as soon as the storm passes, many from California.
DeSantis denies there is fuel shortage but says some gas stations have run dry
DeSantis said the state has 1.6m gallons of diesel and 1.1m gallons of gasoline on hand. There is not fuel shortage, but he cautions some gas stations have run out. The Florida Highway patrol is actively working on contingencies to keep fuel running throughout the state.
55,000 cubic feet of debris in affected areas has already been removed, a reduction of 50%. Removing debris will hopefully lessen the damage inflicted by this storm.
He underscored the severity of Milton, which he described as “a whisker shy of a Hurricane 5.”
DeSantis said he has spoken to president Biden and remains in contact with FEMA, and they are “marshaling all resources to prepare and respond to Hurricane Milton.”
DeSantis: ‘We are prepared and we will respond’
“Hurricane Milton is heading our way. It will arrive either late tonight or early tomorrow morning,” DeSantis begins the briefing at the state’s emergency response center.
“There is high confidence this hurricane is going to pack a major, major punch and do a lot of damage,” he said. “We are prepared and we will respond.”
Florida governor Ron DeSantis will shortly hold a press briefing as Hurricane Milton approaches.
Despite Milton possibly being described as one of the worst hurricanes to possibly ever hit the state of Florida, Disney World in Orlando remains open.
The various parks within the massive entertainment resort complex will undergo a staggered closing schedule on Wednesday.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom theme park will close at 1pm ET on Wednesday while the Magic Kingdom park, EPCOT and Disney Springs will close at 2pm.
The resort said it will “likely” close on Thursday.
By contrast, other theme parks in the area – Sea World, Busch Gardens, both owned by UnitedParks – will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
The city of Orlando is currently under a hurricane warning.
The Orlando International Airport, one of the busiest in the country, has also ceased operations due to Milton.
Tampa mayor Jane Castor tells those in single story homes who haven’t left that they will “ultimately be in a coffin”
Storm surge will hit “immediately” for Floridians, especially in Tampa and surrounding areas. ABC’s Good Morning America today aired a clip of the city’s mayor, Jane Castor, issuing a sobering warning to those who haven’t evacuated: “If you’re in a single story house and we get a 15ft surge, which means that water comes in immediately, there’s nowhere to go. That home that you’re in ultimately will be a coffin.”
Yesterday, Castor also bluntly told residents that if they’re remain in an evacuation area, “you’re going to die.”
Central and southern Florida peninsula faces greatest tornado threat, forecasters say
The National Weather Service storm prediction center said “the greatest tornado threat is expected across parts of the central and southern Florida Peninsula this afternoon.”
A tornado watch is in effect in nearly all of southern Florida until 9pm.