Hurricane Milton a mere 100km from Florida’s coast

TAMPA: Hurricane Milton is currently situated a mere 100 kilometres off the coast of Florida, United States and is expected to make landfall in Tampa later on Thursday.

As the storm draws near, millions of residents had to evacuate the state in anticipation of the extreme, expectations-defying storm.

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Heavy rainfall has already begun across Florida, accompanied by tornadoes and powerful winds. Reports indicate that winds have reached speeds of 215 kilometres per hour (km/h), uprooting trees and causing huge catastrophe.

The storm’s winds have now extended up to 402 km from its centre, amplifying the area affected by the of-the-scales storm.

The impact of Hurricane Milton has led to widespread destruction, with many families losing their belongings due to the force of the storm. The power supply infrastructure was also compromised, leaving many without electricity.

United States (US) officials stated that the full extent of the damage caused by the storm cannot be immediately assessed.

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In response to the impending threat, authorities ordered the evacuation of 60 million people from hurricanes expected path.

Meanwhile, the US president Joe Biden in a national address stated that “We all have to weather the storm together. This is the biggest hurricane in Florida’s history”, with “widespread destruction expected from the Hurricane Milton”.

The president assured the public that the “infrastructure restoration” would begun immediately “after the storm”.

The US president also detailed how “more than a thousand workers [were] working for the rescue operation”, with “troops [might] be called in for relief activities at the state’s request”.

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Biden warned the public in Florida that the storm will “hit the coast in the next few hours”.