Hurricane Milton surges closer to Florida ahead of storm landfall while tornadoes batter state: Live updates
Multiple confirmed tornados tore across southern Florida as ‘storm of the century’ approaches landfall in Sunshine State
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Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Milton were instructed to take shelter Wednesday afternoon ahead of the storm’s anticipated landfall in the evening.
The storm brought destructive tornadoes, 28ft waves, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge, hours before it was expected to make landfall.
More than 311,000 customers were without power across the Sunshine State, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US.
While Milton’s intensity continues to fluctuate, weakening to a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center predicts it will be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida”.
Federal and state officials have urged those in Milton’s path to evacuate to avoid “catastrophic” winds, up to 18in rainfall and up to 15ft of storm surge, before the major hurricane slams into Florida’s west-central coast.
Vice President Kamala Harris warned that even the toughest Floridians won’t weather the “historic” hurricane, she said on The Late Show on Tuesday night.
Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche told CNN on Wednesday that officers will stay on the streets until Milton’s winds top 45mph.
“If people need help, we’re not going to be able to come to them,” he said.
Milton’s northern eyewall moves onshore near Tampa, St. Petersburg
The northern eyewall of Hurricane Milton is beginning to move onshore near Tampa and St. Petersburg, where an Extreme Wind Warning is now in effect until after 9 p.m. EDT.
“Please shelter in place as these extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds overspread the region,” the National Hurricane Center said.
FACT FOCUS: Online posts make unfounded claims about a helicopter delivering aid in North Carolina
A video of a helicopter attempting to land in a Burnsville, North Carolina, area used to store supplies for victims of Hurricane Helene has been viewed millions of times online, with many claiming that it shows an unidentified government aircraft sent to destroy the aid.
The allegations have been used to support wider misinformation narratives that have grown following the punishing Category 4 storm as federal, state and local governments work with a range of groups to address the sweeping devastation in the area.
The North Carolina National Guard on Tuesday issued a statement verifying it was one of their helicopters attempting to make a generator delivery to the site.
The Associated Press has more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-north-carolina-facts-tiktok-american-b2626807.html
Hurricane Milton Live: Buildings partially submerged in Fort Myers
SEE IT: Storm surge moves into Fort Myers Beach’s Margaritaville
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