October 10, 2024
National Hurricane Center says Millton ‘extremely dangerous’
Milton weakened slightly to a Category 3 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.
However, the storm still packed winds of over 120 mph (195 kph).
Steady rain fell, and winds gusted as Milton drew closer to the Tampa Bay region is home to more than 3.3 million people and hasn’t
seen a direct hit from a major hurricane in more than a century.
https://p.dw.com/p/4lb5o
October 10, 2024
Biden condemns ‘outrageous’ lies, praises rescuers, repeats Milton warning
As Hurricane Milton approaches the west Florida coast, US President Joe Biden has repeated warnings to residents to evacuate, despite the storm being set to be downgraded to category three when it makes landfall.
“No one should be confused; it’s still expected to be one of the most and worst destructive hurricanes to hit Florida in over a century and sometimes moving just a few miles can be the difference between life and death,” he said from the Oval Office on Wednesday.
After praising emergency service workers who he said were “ready to conduct life-saving missions,” Biden also took aim at misinformation which has spread regarding the federal response to Hurricane Helene two weeks ago.
“Quite frankly, these lies are un-American,” he said, calling out Republicans such as former president Donald Trump and Republican House Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene for their “reckless, irresponsible and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies on what’s going on.”
“Stop it,” he said. “It’s outrageous.”
Biden said the government had 20 million meals, 40 million liters of water, search and rescue teams, helicopters and flood vehicles on standby to respond to Hurricane Milton.
https://p.dw.com/p/4lb5n
October 10, 2024
Milton’s real danger: storm surge and rainfall
Hours before it struck Florida, Hurricane Milton lashed the region with rain and wind, threatening a life-threatening storm surge near Tampa Bay.
“I know in hurricanes we focus on the wind speed – how strong are the winds – the wind isn’t usually the killer in hurricanes; it’s usually the water, the storm surge, the rainfall,” Sarah Griffin, a meteorology expert and associate researcher at the University of Madison-Wisconsin’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, told Reuters.
“So, while we still have a weakening Milton and Milton is going to continue to weaken, it’s still carrying that energy, it’s still carrying that high storm surge.”
Seven tornadoes have hit Florida before Hurricane Milton, the National Weather Service in Miami said.
Hurricanes and tropical storms can produce tornadoes.
https://p.dw.com/p/4lb5Y
October 10, 2024
Gas shortages reported in parts of Florida
Gas stations in parts of Florida are experiencing gasoline shortages as residents brace for Hurricane Milton.
According to analysts at GasBuddy, more than 20% of gas stations in Florida were without fuel Wednesday afternoon, including more than 60% in Tampa and St. Petersburg.
Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized that there is no statewide fuel shortage, but “demand has been extraordinarily high, and some gas stations have run out.”
mf/lo (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)
