Hurricane Milton surges closer to Florida ahead of storm landfall while tornadoes batter state: Live updates
Multiple confirmed tornados tore across southern Florida as ‘storm of the century’ approaches landfall in Sunshine State
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Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Milton were instructed to take shelter Wednesday afternoon ahead of the storm’s anticipated landfall in the evening.
The storm brought destructive tornadoes, 28ft waves, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge, hours before it was expected to make landfall.
Nearly 300,000 customers were without power across the Sunshine State, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US.
While Milton’s intensity continues to fluctuate, weakening to a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center predicts it will be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida”.
Federal and state officials have urged those in Milton’s path to evacuate to avoid “catastrophic” winds, up to 18in rainfall and up to 15ft of storm surge, before the major hurricane slams into Florida’s west-central coast.
Vice President Kamala Harris warned that even the toughest Floridians won’t weather the “historic” hurricane, she said on The Late Show on Tuesday night.
Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche told CNN on Wednesday that officers will stay on the streets until Milton’s winds top 45mph.
“If people need help, we’re not going to be able to come to them,” he said.
AOC says people responsible for ‘hurricane machine’ are fossil fuel companies, politicians
National Weather Service in Tampa warns of debris becoming ‘flying missiles’
Category 3 Milton moving on northeast track
The National Hurricane Center said the center of Milton will make landfall near or just south of the Tampa Bay region Wednesday evening.
More than half of gas stations in Tampa, St. Petersburg are out of fuel
More than 60 percent of gas stations in Tampa and St. Petersburg are out of fuel, according to GasBuddy.
Across the state, more than 20 percent are out.
With reporting from The Associated Press
Hurricane researchers fly into Milton to deploy scientific instruments
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