Hurricane Milton, one of the strongest storms to ever threaten the state of Florida, is on course to make landfall, with over 5.5 million people under mandatory evacuation orders. Originally categorized as a Category 5 storm, it has slightly weakened to a Category 4 hurricane. Nonetheless, its winds are still formidable, measuring over 160 miles per hour, and the potential for devastation remains severe.
Before nearing the United States, Hurricane Milton already caused significant damage to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Communities like Celestún experienced heavy rainfall, flooding, and wind damage, prompting local fishermen and residents to call for government aid to address not only infrastructure recovery but also concerns over the spread of diseases like dengue and Zika.
Florida, a state with experience dealing with hurricanes, is now preparing for the worst. Evacuation centers are filling, and the state government has declared a state of emergency to mobilize resources. With storm surges, intense rainfall, and hurricane-force winds expected, the threat of severe flooding and structural damage looms over both coastal and inland areas. While the storm’s exact landfall point is still uncertain, it is predicted to hit somewhere along the central coast of Florida in the early hours of October 10, 2024.
This storm has also prompted a political response. U.S. President Joe Biden has canceled a planned diplomatic visit to Germany in order to manage emergency response efforts related to the hurricane. Federal resources have been directed toward reinforcing infrastructure and ensuring that response teams are well-prepared to address the immediate aftermath
