hurricanemilton

Hurricane Milton is confimed to have killed 12 people before exiting Florida.

The fierce storm, as described by meteorologists, came through Florida as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday night, tearing down lamp poles, traffic lights and ripping signs out of the ground.

It exited out to sea as Category 1, leaving neighborhoods flooded and homes without roofs.

3.4 million people are without electricity as of 11:30 today.

Photo credit: Getty and Associated Press

As Category 5 Hurricane Milton churns toward Florida, the Bahamas is under a tropical storm warning beginning early Thursday morning, significantly impacting the northern islands—Abaco, Grand Bahama and Bimini.

Florida is expected to experience fierce a hurricane with a direct hit to Tampa and St Petersburg with tall surges and floodings.

Though the Bahamas is not in the direct pathway of the ferocious hurricane, these islands will experience adverse effects in the next 36 hours.

“Do all you can to stay safe,” Prime Minister Philip Davis warned at a press conference on Tuesday evening. “Prepare now.”

The Bahamas is on the outer peripherals of the hurricane and will experience tropical-force winds. New Providence, Eleuthera and Andros will experience winds, extensive floodings and heavy rainfalls.

Davis announced the closure of schools on these islands and urged residents to prepare.

Meteorologists predict Grand Bahama and Abaco will experience winds and ‘squally’ conditions while Bimini will get gust winds.

Hurricane Milton had weakened to a Category 4 storm but strengthened again to a Category 5 storm Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Its wind speeds have increased past the Category 5 threshold. The storm is located about 480 miles (775 kilometers) from Tampa as of about 5 p.m. EDT, and has sustained wind speeds of 165 mph (270 kph), the hurricane center said. The hurricane center also extended a storm surge and hurricane warnings on Florida and Georgia’s east coasts.

Tropical storm-force winds will accompany the storm because Milton is considered a large hurricane. Winds are predicted to cause widespread damage to property and trees and leave millions without electricity across Florida.

An extreme flash flood risk — the highest level — is in effect for Tampa to Orlando to Daytona.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday as a category 4 hurricane, with effects on the Bahamas.

Some Bahamians studying in Florida, returned to the Bahamas last night to escape the intensity and danger of this hurricane after battling Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago, which caused damage to the area.

As Florida prepares, Milton is expected to pass through the northern Bahamas on Wednesday and Thursday, urging Education officials to close Abaco, Grand Bahama and Bimini schools.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force has also urged its personnel to return to post in expectation of the effects of the destructive storm.

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents that “time is running out” to evacuate, while Mayor Jane Castor said it could be “literally catastrophic.”

What to know about Hurricane Milton

• Milton weakened from a category 5 to a category 4 and is continuing toward Florida making landfall between Tampa and Fort Myers.
• Hurricane Milton can pose a grave danger to Florida and has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency for 51 of Florida’s 67 counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties.
• Expect life-threatening storm surges, widespread heavy winds, flooding rainfall, and tornadoes beginning Wednesday.
• A tropical storm warning has been issued for the southeast coast of Florida south of the Indian River/St. Lucie County Line to Flamingo in the Everglades National Park, and for the northeast coast of Florida north of Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Mary’s River.
• The hurricane is centered 545 miles southwest of Tampa and packs 150 mph winds as of 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
• Milton has grown in size over the last 24 hours and is expected to grow larger on approach to Florida, affecting a big area of Florida.

Bahamian Laurie Dames living in Tampa, told the Nassau Guardian, that she and her family were preparing to evacuate to Tallahassee early Tuesday morning, to beat Milton’s arrival.

“People are trying to get out of Tampa and it’s pretty much bumper to bumper right now. We’re going to have to live with that and just get on the road,” she said. “This is the first time in a while that I’ve seen this amount of people taking it this serious this quickly. The service stations are full, the food stores are full, and the traffic is bad.”

However, another Bahamian living in Wesley Chapel, Tampa, Chandell Morley, said she will remain home “because I live further inland and where I live it’s over 70 feet above sea level.”

“Right now, I’m a bit nervous because we just don’t know what to expect,” she said.

She plans to pack a bag to stay at a shelter if needed.