Millions of Florida residents have been ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Milton is on course to make landfall on the west coast of the state at some point late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning local time.

The hurricane weakened slightly to a Category 4 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported. However, the storm is still packing winds of over 150 mph (240 kph), and is expected to hit the Florida coast as a Category 4 storm with sustained wind speeds of 130 mph. 

Record storm surge possible 

The NHC has warned that deadly storm surge, where the force of hurricane winds pushes a wall of water inland, could reach record-breaking levels, with 12-15 feet (3.6-4.5 meters) predicted from the Tampa Bay area to points south. 

On Wednesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned people against remaining home on barrier islands in Milton's path.

"Just know that if you get 10 feet of storm surge, you can't just hunker down with that," he said. "If you're on the southern part of this storm, you are going to get storm surge," he said.

"It's churning massive amounts of water, and that water is going to come out … If you're anywhere in the eye or south, you are going to get major storm surge," DeSantis added.

As the storm's outer bands begin to approach the coast, authorities have issued tornado warnings in several inland areas of southern Florida.

The National Weather Service in Miami reported a tornado near the I-75 interstate on Wednesday morning. 

"Basically the entire peninsula portion of Florida is under some type of either a watch or a warning," DeSantis said on Tuesday. 

'Matter of life and death,' says Biden

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden called on Florida residents to take heed of the warnings, adding that the storm could turn into the worst natural disaster to hit the state in a century.

"It's a matter of life and death, and that's not hyperbole," Biden said from the White House, calling on citizens to "evacuate now, now, now." The US president has postponed planned visits to Germany and Angola later this week as Milton approaches Florida.

"Fluctuations in intensity are likely while Milton moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but Milton is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of Florida Wednesday night," the NHC said.

 

Airlines put on extra flights out of Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers and Sarasota, as highways ground to a halt with escaping traffic and gas stations sold out of fuel.

As the second huge hurricane in as many weeks barreled toward Florida's Gulf Coast, locals boarded up their homes and fled.

Communities in the United States are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene, which two weeks ago flooded streets and homes along its devastating march that left at least 230 dead.

Storm grazes Yucatan coast of Mexico

Mexican authorities in the state of Yucatan reported minor damage from the effects of Milton as it passed just offshore.

Power lines, light poles and trees were knocked out near the coast, and some small thatched-roof structures were destroyed, Yucatan Governor Joaquin Diaz said. No injuries or deaths were reported.

Diaz surveyed the damage suffered after Milton passed by.

"We will carry out a clear survey of housing and port infrastructure to carry out the necessary repairs and thus support those who need it most," he posted on X, formerly Twitter.

jsi/sms,wmr (AP, AFP)