Hurricane Milton strengthens into Category 5 storm – as Florida prepares for biggest evacuation in seven years
A hurricane set to hit the US has strengthened into a Category 5 storm – as Florida prepares for its largest evacuation in seven years.
Hurricane Milton is forecast to make landfall on Wednesday.
The weather system was upgraded by the National Hurricane Center after sustaining winds of 180mph (285kmh) while sweeping east across the Gulf of Mexico.
It’s predicted to hit around the Tampa Bay area before travelling over Orlando.
There’s a warning of a possible eight to 12-foot storm surge (2.4 to 3.6m) – the highest ever for the region – and the potential for widespread flooding.
“This is the real deal here with Milton,” Tampa mayor Jane Castor told the media. “If you want to take on Mother Nature, she wins 100% of the time.”
It comes after more than 200 people were killed when Hurricane Helene tore across the southeastern US, including parts of Florida, late last month. That was a Category 4 storm when it made landfall.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Before and after Hurricane Helene
Forecasters say some affected areas will likely be hit again, worsening the damage caused less than a fortnight ago.
Kevin Guthrie, director of Florida’s emergency management division, warned that residents should prepare for the “largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since 2017 Hurricane Irma“.
He added: “I highly encourage you to evacuate.”
A man prepares a sandbag with his children in Pinellas County, Florida. Pic: Reuters
Near-empty shelves at a Walmart in Tampa ahead of Milton’s arrival. Pic: Reuters
Sheriff Chad Chronister said the situation “stinks” but “if you safeguard your families, you will be alive”.
The fire service warned there was a risk to life for anyone staying in the area.
“If you remain there, you could die and my men and women could die trying to rescue you,” fire service chief Jason Dougherty said. “Help them by leaving.”
In 2017, around seven million people were ordered to flee their homes in Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma, which ended up killing more than 130 people in the state.
The mass evacuation caused long traffic jams on motorways and major queues at petrol stations.
Officials say they have learnt lessons from the chaotic scenes in 2017, and will have emergency fuel stations and charging points for electric vehicles along evacuation routes.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned power cuts were likely and that debris already caused by Hurricane Helene would be added to.
He added: “I don’t think there’s any scenario where we don’t have major impacts at this point.
“You have time to prepare – all day today, all day Monday, probably all day Tuesday to be sure your hurricane preparedness plan is in place.
“If you’re on that west coast of Florida, barrier islands, just assume you’ll be asked to leave.”
Read more from Sky News:
Warning about wasps swarming after floods caused by hurricane
Couple found dead hugging each other in bed after hurricane
Pinellas County, which includes the city of St Petersburg, is likely to issue mandatory evacuations for more than 500,000 people in the lowest-lying areas on Monday, officials told a news conference.
Evacuations have already been ordered for six hospitals, 25 nursing homes and 44 assisted living facilities in the county.
Empty sandbags are distributed to motorists in Pinellas County. Pic: Reuters
St Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said: “We already will be rebuilding for years because of Hurricane Helene, and that will be exacerbated by the impacts of this storm.
“Remember, Hurricane Helene was 100 miles away from us, moving in a different direction. This is a powerful hurricane, headed directly for us.”
A hurricane alert has also been issued for the northern coast of Mexico‘s Yucatan Peninsula.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, US President Joe Biden announced a further 500 active-duty soldiers would be sent to North Carolina to help with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, bringing the total to 1,500 troops.
More than $137m (£104m) in federal aid for the region has also been approved so far.
Donald Trump has waded into the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad.
The American Eagle ad, which features the 27-year-old actress, who starred in the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus, has the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
It has sparked a debate in the US over race and Western beauty standards.
One of the Sydney Sweeney jeans ads. Pic: AP
In a Truth Social post, the US president described it as the “hottest ad out there”.
Hailing Sweeney as a “registered Republican”, he said the jeans are “flying off the shelves”, adding: “Go get ’em Sydney!”
Most of the criticism of the ad has centred on videos using the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, with one in which Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the play on words potentially promotes eugenics, a discredited theory that believed humanity could be improved through the selective breeding of certain traits.
But others have defended the ad, saying the critics are reading too much into its message.
The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels, but is not part of the ad campaign.
In a statement on Instagram on Friday, American Eagle Outfitters said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Stocks in American Eagle Outfitters jumped by 23.3% after Mr Trump’s intervention.
Read more from Sky News:
Kremlin urges caution in nuclear rhetoric following Trump’s submarine order
Still wanted: UK riots suspects pictured in new police appeal
In his Truth Social post, which he reposted three times to fix various typos, Mr Trump compared the ad with “woke” ones “on the other side of the ledger” – as he criticised other companies, as well as hitting out at Taylor Swift.
“The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he wrote.
Sky News has contacted Sweeney’s agent for comment.
Police in Tennessee have discovered 14 improvised explosive devices in a man’s home as they were arresting him, the local sheriff’s office said.
Officers were executing a warrant in the home of Kevin Wade O’Neal in Old Fort, about 45 miles (70km) east of Chattanooga, after he had threatened to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in Polk County.
After arresting the 54-year-old, officers noticed “something smouldering” in the bedroom where he was found.
Kevin Wade O’Neal. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
On closer inspection, they discovered an improvised explosive device and evacuated the house until bomb squad officers arrived at the scene.
Fourteen devices were found inside the property – none of which detonated.
Improvised explosive devices were found in Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home in Old Fort, Tennessee. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
O’Neal was charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, corresponding to nine officers and two other people inside the property when the suspect tried to detonate the devices.
He also faces 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components.
Read more from Sky News:
World champion sprinter arrested for ‘assaulting boyfriend’
Trump says “nobody has asked” him to pardon Maxwell
O’Neal is being held at the Polk County jail and his bond is yet to be determined.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike