Hurricane Milton is heading towards the coast of Florida, USA, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, causing traffic congestion and fuel shortages as thousands of residents evacuate. Authorities have ordered more than a million people to evacuate before the hurricane hits the Tampa Bay area, according to Reuters.

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The category 5 hurricane, the highest on the hurricane intensity scale, is expected to make landfall late today, Wednesday, or early tomorrow, Thursday. It threatens a heavily populated part of Florida’s west coast, which is still suffering from the effects of the devastating Hurricane Helene that struck the region less than two weeks ago.

More than 3 million people live in the sprawling Tampa Bay area.

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The US National Hurricane Center reported that Hurricane Milton’s maximum wind speeds reach 270 kilometers per hour.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that 5,000 National Guard members have been deployed, with another 3,000 on standby to deal with the storm’s aftermath.

President Joe Biden, who postponed an overseas trip to oversee the storm response, urged those under evacuation orders to leave immediately, stating that it is a matter of life and death.

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Heavy traffic has clogged roads leading out of Tampa.

Around 17% of Florida’s 8,000 gas stations ran out of fuel late Tuesday.

Milton had weakened to a category 4 hurricane on Tuesday but has since regained strength. It is expected to remain extremely dangerous after making landfall in Florida, potentially causing catastrophic damage and power outages lasting days.

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Relief efforts are still ongoing across much of the southeastern United States following Hurricane Helen, which claimed more than 200 lives across six states and caused billions of dollars in damage.