“Catastrophic and Dangerous” – Biden Declares State of Emergency Ahead of “Milton’s” Arrival

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The catastrophic and dangerous hurricane “Milton,” according to U.S. authorities, is making its way toward Florida’s Gulf Coast.

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The devastating hurricane has given residents one final day, today Wednesday, to evacuate their homes or take shelter before being hit by a massive surge that threatens their lives.

In response, U.S. President Joe Biden, in a joint press conference with Vice President Kamala Harris, declared a state of emergency in the state and promised to provide fuel.

Biden urged Floridians to follow instructions ahead of the hurricane, warning that it is a “matter of life and death. This is not an exaggeration,” adding that “the government will provide $750 for each affected person.”

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Harris, for her part, said that “the administration is working tirelessly to provide aid, collaborating with local authorities to use available resources efficiently.”

With evacuation orders for over a million people in coastal areas, those fleeing to higher ground caused traffic jams on highways on Tuesday, and fuel ran out at gas stations in an area still recovering from the devastating impact of Hurricane “Helen” less than two weeks ago.

The storm, a category 5 hurricane, is on a collision course with the Tampa Bay urban area, home to more than 3 million people, although meteorologists said the path could shift before the storm makes landfall late Wednesday night.

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The U.S. National Hurricane Center described the looming “Milton” as a “catastrophic” and “dangerous” major hurricane, with winds reaching 260 kilometers per hour.

This devastating hurricane, considered the worst in the country’s history in 100 years, has reached the highest level on the 5-level Saffir-Simpson scale.

The center issued a warning overnight, saying that weather conditions are expected to deteriorate by the afternoon.

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Rare Path

“Milton” is following a rare west-to-east path across the Gulf of Mexico, and it is likely to cause a deadly surge of 3 meters or more along most of Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Although wind speeds may drop, potentially downgrading “Milton” to a lower category, the storm is growing in size, putting other coastal areas at risk.

The National Hurricane Center, in its latest advisory, said that Milton is expected to turn east and then northeast tomorrow Thursday and Friday.

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At 09:00 GMT, the storm’s eye was located 485 kilometers southwest of “Tampa.”

Hurricane “Milton” is expected to maintain its strength as it crosses Florida’s peninsula, also posing a storm threat to the state’s Atlantic coast.

“Milton” has become one of the fastest intensifying storms in the Atlantic, rising from category 1 to category 5 in less than 24 hours.