Hurricane Milton: Florida braces for 'potentially catastrophic' storm

The "monster" storm is due to hit the heavily populated city of Tampa Bay with full force on Wednesday.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsUS ElectionSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifyUS ElectionElection pollsKamala HarrisDonald TrumpJD VanceTim WalzSportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsUS ElectionSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersFlorida braces for 'potentially catastrophic' Hurricane MiltonHurricane Milton approaches FloridaHurricane Milton, a "potentially catastrophic" category four storm, is closing in for a direct hit on Florida's Gulf coast.

Milton has weakened slightly from a category five, but is still packing ferocious winds of up to 145mph (233km/h) after brushing past the northern edge of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula.

The storm is expected to slam into the heavily populated city of Tampa Bay with full force on Wednesday, less than two weeks after the state was hit by Hurricane Helene.

Floridians have been told to prepare for the state's largest evacuation effort in years.

On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis said that thousands of members of Florida's National Guard were being activated , and that additional petrol and diesel supplies were being provided to fuel stations.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crl8e084r9yo

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