FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla.
— Florida's Gulf Coast braced Tuesday for the impact of Hurricane Milton's winds and expected massive storm surge, which could bring destruction to areas already reeling from Helene's devastation 12 days ago and still recovering from Ian's wrath two years ago.
Milton's center could come ashore Wednesday in the Tampa Bay region, which has not endured a direct hit by a major hurricane in more than a century. Scientists expect the system to weaken slightly before landfall, though it could retain hurricane strength as it churns across central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean. That would largely spare other states ravaged by Helene, which killed at least 230 people on its path from Florida to the Appalachian Mountains.
The Tampa Bay area is still rebounding from Helene and its powerful surge — a wall of water up to 8 feet it created even though its eye was 100 miles offshore. Twelve people died there, with the worst damage along a string of barrier islands from St. Petersburg to Clearwater. A steady stream of vehicles headed north toward the Florida Panhandle on Interstate 75, the main highway on the west side of the peninsula, as residents heeded evacuation orders. Traffic clogged the southbound lanes of the highway for miles as other residents headed for the relative safety of Fort Lauderdale and Miami on the other side of the state.
The signs of Ian's devastation remain visible everywhere. Rebuilt homes stand next to others in various states of construction. There are numerous vacant lots, which were once rare. At the beach Monday afternoon, workers busily emptied the triple-wide trailer that houses The Goodz, a combined hardware, convenience, fishing supply, ice cream and beach goods store. Owner Graham Belger said he moved his “Your Island Everything Store” into the trailer after Ian destroyed his permanent building across the street.Nearby, Don Girard and his son Dominic worked to batten down the family’s three-story combination rental and vacation home that’s about 100 feet from the water.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Florida braces for Hurricane Milton even as it recovers from HeleneWhile the human cost of hurricane Helene keeps growing a week after the deadly storm slammed into the southeastern U.S., another dangerous storm is already headed toward Florida. Tropical storm Milton was upgraded to a hurricane Sunday and is expected to hit America’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane later this week.
Read more »
'This Would Be Disastrous': Hurricane Milton Becomes Category 5, Possibly 'Worse Than Helene'Milton is 'continuing to rapidly intensify' and is now a Category 5 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said.
Read more »
Former Ottawa residents in Florida brace for Hurricane HeleneFormer Ottawa resident Judy Brown is among many in Tallahassee, Florida bracing for Hurricane Helene as it barrels towards the state.
Read more »
Tropical Storm Milton could hit Florida as a major hurricane midweekPeople across Florida were given notice Sunday that Milton, for now just a tropical storm off the coast of Mexico, could intensify rapidly into a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.
Read more »
Tropical Storm Milton could hit Florida as a major hurricane midweekPeople across Florida were given notice Sunday that Milton, for now just a tropical storm off the coast of Mexico, could intensify rapidly into a major hurricane.
Read more »
Florida Faces Another Deadly Storm After Hurricane Helene(Bloomberg) -- Tropical Storm Milton is threatening to grow into a major hurricane aimed at Florida’s Gulf Coast including Tampa, potentially causing...
Read more »