Desperation and chaos grip Tampa ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall

Juan René Pérez left Tampa on Tuesday around 10 a.m. and arrived in Miami just after 6 p.m. His mother told him that if he didn’t come home to Hialeah, she would go get him herself. Pérez lives in an area currently under evacuation orders due to Hurricane Milton. The drive to Miami typically takes about four hours, but right now, almost nothing is typical. The massive evacuation has caused severe traffic jams, nearly paralyzing Florida’s highways in both directions from the Tampa Bay area. Many gas stations are out of fuel, and the urgency to reach safety is intense, with the devastation from Hurricane Helene still fresh in everyone’s mind.

Authorities have asked more than 5.5 million people to leave Florida’s west coast in what is the largest evacuation in Florida since Hurricane Irma in 2017. Forecasts warn that somewhere between Tampa Bay and Fort Myers, one of the most intense hurricanes ever reported in the Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean will make landfall early Thursday. “I can say without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warned in an interview with CNN on Monday, and her words did not go unnoticed.

Hurricane Milton, which was downgraded to Category 4 but has since regained Category 5 strength, is currently moving through the Gulf of Mexico at a speed of 12 miles per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center’s update. “Fluctuations in intensity are likely while Milton moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but Milton is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of Florida,” it said early Wednesday.

FOX 35 Orlando meteorologist Noah Bergren urged people not to let their guard down. “Been clamoring this on air, yes the category will come down but let’s focus more on impact at this point. It is deceiving. Katrina and Wilma did this too a 5-4-3 and were very major impacts. It could hit as a 3 or a 4 no idea which. But, the wind field will expand significantly, impacting more people at landfall,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

To illustrate his point, the scientist asked people to think of an ice skater with their hands close to their body spinning very quickly. “As they let the hands extend out from their body, and slow down, that’s the wind field analogy here with Milton. Hurricane force wind gusts will extend well further across the FL Peninsula as it impacts.”

“Evacuate today if you’ve been told to do so, are medically dependent on power or live in a home that can’t withstand hurricane force winds,” the Florida Division of Emergency Management posted on X, noting that shelters are open in areas under evacuation orders, and that free transportation to shelters is available in several counties. The Florida Department of Highways also warned that it will use the right lane of highways to escort gas tankers to supply points that have run out of fuel.

“Life-threatening” flooding, heavy rainfall, river overflows, and tidal waves are some of the threats facing Florida residents, according to the National Hurricane Center. The institution is predicting a storm surge with large, destructive waves that could raise water levels by as much as 15 feet (4.5 meters) in communities along Milton’s path. Rainfall is expected to range from six to 12 inches, with localized totals of up to 18 inches in central and northern parts of the state. Tornadoes are also possible in central and southern regions, continuing into early Thursday.

Out of Florida’s 67 counties, 51 are currently under a state of emergency, with 28 under a hurricane warning. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Tuesday that 5,000 National Guard members are already on duty, with plans to increase that number to 8,000. Additionally, various resources have been deployed to potential impact areas to begin search and rescue operations as soon as the hurricane passes.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that there are 5,000 National Guard members on duty, which will increase to 8,000 soon, and multiple resources deployed to potential impact sites to conduct search and rescue operations as soon as the weather phenomenon passes. “This is probably the largest National Guard mobilization in advance of a storm in Florida history,” DeSantis said.

Tampa, a city of nearly 400,000 people, hasn’t experienced a hurricane of this magnitude since 1921. None of its current residents have faced anything like the potential devastation that Milton could bring to the densely populated coastal areas that define the region.

Juan Carlos Martínez, who has lived in West Tampa for a decade, feels that Mayor Jane Castor’s warnings are somewhat “alarmist,” though he acknowledges the need to consider the potential danger. Despite this, Martinez remains hopeful that Hurricane Milton will change its course. Unlike Juan René Pérez, he lives in an area not under a mandatory evacuation order and has decided to stay. “I have my property here. Who better than me to look after it, stay informed, and take action if needed? It’s not like I can just go and leave everything behind. Besides, my area is pretty safe, my house is pretty safe,” he said.

Although his house doesn’t have impact-resistant windows, Martínez has spent the last 24 hours boarding them up and feels confident that it will be enough. “I’m from Cuba — what Cuban doesn’t prepare?” he says. His wife and 22-year-old son will be staying with him, and he has stocked up on food, water, and a power generator. When asked if he’s scared, he replies he’s not scared, just worried. “You take the precautions, and after that, there’s nothing more you can do.”

Juan René Pérez also secured his home as best he could before heading to Miami. Although the house isn’t his, everything he owns is inside. Now, at his parents’ home in Hialeah, he is waiting for updates on Hurricane Milton’s progress, with his thoughts focused on Tampa.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition