Residents in the Tampa Bay area of Florida are responding to evacuation orders as Hurricane Milton, which briefly weakened to a Category 4 storm, has regained strength and is now classified as a Category 5 storm. This poses a serious threat of landfall in the region on the evening of October 9. In light of this situation, Florida officials have issued mandatory evacuation orders for 11 counties, affecting around 5.9 million residents. President Biden has urged anyone in the hurricane’s potential path to “evacuate now,” underscoring that this is a “life-or-death matter.”
As the storm approaches, residents are taking swift action. It’s been over a century since Tampa Bay has faced a major hurricane directly, with the last significant storm hitting in 1921. With Hurricane Milton’s expected impact, airlines, energy companies, and attractions like Universal Studios have temporarily suspended operations across Florida. Specifically, Orlando International Airport announced it would close at 8 AM local time on October 9, while Tampa International Airport had already ceased operations by October 8.
“This could be the most significant storm to hit Florida in over a century,” President Biden remarked after discussing the ongoing situation with disaster officials at the White House. He mentioned a conversation with Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis the previous night, noting that DeSantis has received “everything he needs” from the federal government for the response effort.
In anticipation of the storm’s landfall, Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida and urged airlines to assist with evacuations rather than raising fares. He encouraged residents to heed the evacuation recommendations from state authorities and decided to postpone his diplomatic trip to Germany and Angola, initially scheduled for October 10-15, to focus on the governmental response to the impending disaster.
As of October 8, FlightAware reported that over 2,000 flights had been delayed or canceled, with 1,311 flights delayed and 701 flights canceled—a number that is expected to increase.
On October 8, local residents began panic buying, leading to long lines at gas stations, some of which quickly ran out of fuel. Energy companies started shutting down pipelines and fuel delivery stations in the Tampa area. Kinder Morgan, a natural gas pipeline provider, has also announced the closure of its Central Florida Pipeline system.
With Hurricane Milton threatening a potentially unprecedented direct hit, Tampa Bay residents are evacuating amid growing concerns. Local officials are taking steps to protect furniture and appliances from potential flooding. Craig Fugate, former head of FEMA and a key figure in Florida’s emergency operations, noted, “Today is the last day to prepare.”
The densely populated west coast of Florida has only recently dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Once it makes landfall, Milton is expected to remain a dangerous hurricane, likely inflicting catastrophic damage and causing prolonged power outages for days to come.
