Mandatory evacuation zones are in place in the state’s coastal zones. With more than 5.5 million people were urged to leave, it is one of the largest evacuations in Florida’s history.
“Do not hesitate,” Colin Burns, a deputy incident commander in Pasco County, said. “If you can get out, get out.”
Jane Castor, the Tampa mayor, told CNN: “I can say without any dramatisation whatsoever, if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die.”
Joe Biden, who has postponed a trip to Germany to monitor the storm response, said Florida’s evacuation orders were a “matter of life or death”.
“I’ve urged everyone, everyone currently located in Hurricane Milton’s path to listen to local officials and follow safety instructions,” the US president said.
He also called on airlines to provide “as much service as possible” and “not engage in price gouging”.
The US’s National Hurricane Centre said that Hurricane Milton, which currently has windspeeds of about 160mph, could be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record”.