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Hurricane Milton Hits Florida, Residents Urged to Evacuate Before Conditions Worsen
Warnings to evacuate intensified as Hurricane Milton began pounding the Tampa Bay area with heavy rain and fierce winds.
The powerful hurricane, projected to cause catastrophic damage, is marching steadily towards Florida’s west coast, where authorities issued urgent calls for residents to leave immediately or risk facing life-threatening consequences.
The National Hurricane Center has cautioned that Milton’s exact landfall remains uncertain due to potential shifts in its path, but it warned that the entire Tampa Bay area and surrounding regions are in severe danger.
As of Wednesday afternoon, tropical storm-force winds were just off the coast, signaling the looming threat of Milton’s full force.
“This is your last chance to leave,” said Cathie Perkins, the emergency management director for Pinellas County, which forms a major part of Tampa Bay.
Referring to the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, she added, “If you were hit hard by Helene, this storm will be much worse. You need to evacuate now.”
Milton, a fluctuating Category 4 hurricane throughout its approach, was expected to remain at this intensity or even strengthen further before making landfall.
Experts predict it will tear across central Florida with destructive force.
Tampa Bay, which hasn’t been directly hit by a major hurricane in over 100 years, finds itself in the path of what could be a historic storm.
Meanwhile, communities across the region are still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which swept through two weeks prior, leaving a wake of flooding and debris.
Milton is expected to generate a storm surge as high as 12 feet in Tampa Bay and even up to 15 feet in areas to the south, such as Sarasota and Fort Myers.
Local municipalities have been scrambling to clear debris from Helene’s damage in hopes of minimizing additional destruction when Milton hits.
Residents who experienced Helene’s wrath have been quick to take precautions.
Mary Ann Fairman, an 84-year-old woman who had stayed home during the last storm, decided to head to a shelter this time.
“The Gulf is almost in our backyard,” she explained, settling in among a thousand other evacuees at a shelter in West Bradenton.
She had packed blankets, snacks, and toiletries, determined to avoid the chaos and danger she feared could come.
In Pasco County, which borders Tampa Bay and houses over 500,000 residents, officials announced that they were preparing to halt bus services as the storm neared, giving a final warning for residents to seek shelter.
“This is it. If you need a ride, take it now. After this, you’re on your own.”
Among the urgent preparations, iconic landmarks such as the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which spans Tampa Bay, were closed as winds grew more intense.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, during a press briefing in Tallahassee, outlined the state’s wide-reaching efforts to combat the storm’s impacts.
The emergency response included 9,000 National Guard members, tens of thousands of utility workers, and patrols to escort gasoline deliveries for those fleeing.
“Sadly, we are anticipating fatalities,” DeSantis remarked. “There’s no avoiding it when dealing with a storm of this magnitude.”
As of midday Wednesday, Hurricane Milton was located approximately 160 miles southwest of Tampa, packing winds of 145 mph as it pushed northeast at a speed of 17 mph.
The storm’s impact is expected to continue well into Thursday as it travels across Florida, threatening heavily populated areas such as Orlando.
Meteorologists have warned of widespread flooding, with 6 to 12 inches of rainfall predicted, and isolated areas seeing up to 18 inches.
Already, southern Florida has been battered by rain and tornadoes.
A tornado touched down in the Everglades, while another one tore through Fort Myers, leaving a trail of destruction, including damage to a gas station.
Mandatory evacuation orders now cover 11 counties in Florida, affecting nearly 6 million residents.
Authorities have emphasized that those who choose to stay must be prepared to face the storm without assistance, as emergency responders won’t be able to reach them during the worst of the storm.
In St. Petersburg, Mayor Ken Welch urged the public to brace for power outages and the potential failure of the city’s sewer system.
“We will recover,” he reassured residents, “but for now, focus on staying safe.”
In communities like Charlotte Harbor, which was inundated by floodwaters from Helene, residents are rushing to evacuate.
Josh Parks, an auto technician, recounted how five feet of water invaded his neighborhood just two weeks ago.
This time, he’s leaving to stay with family inland, telling his roommate to “pack like you’re not coming back.”
Meanwhile, in Gulfport, Christian Burke and his mother decided to stay in their three-story concrete house, built by Burke’s father with hurricanes in mind.
While acknowledging the risk, Burke remains hopeful their home will withstand the storm.
Shelters across the region are filling with evacuees.
At Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg, over 1,700 people sought refuge, including Trokon Nagbe and his husband, Morris Kulp.
Though they slept on the floor, Nagbe expressed gratitude. “It’s not the Hilton, but we’re safe, and that’s what matters.”
By Wednesday night, Hurricane Milton intensified to a terrifying Category 5 storm, with winds reaching 180-200 mph.
Over a million residents in Florida, spanning Tampa, Sarasota, and Orlando, are now under evacuation orders as the monstrous storm barrels toward landfall.
Traffic on highways, including I-75, has been at a standstill, with some drivers reporting six-hour delays for an 80-mile trip northward.
The full force of Hurricane Milton is expected to strike Florida overnight, and officials continue to warn those in its path that this may be their last chance to evacuate.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that anyone caught sabotaging Tesla cars could face up to 20 years in prison.
Trump made this statement on Friday through a post on his Truth Social account. He said, “People that get caught sabotaging Tesla’s will stand a very good chance of going to jail for up to twenty years, and that includes the funders. We are looking for you!”
This comes shortly after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that three people have been charged with setting Tesla properties on fire using Molotov cocktails. Bondi described the attacks as “domestic terrorism” and vowed that those responsible would face the full weight of the law.
Earlier this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had also blamed “terrorism” after multiple cars caught fire at a Tesla facility in Las Vegas.
In March 2025, Nigeria’s political landscape was jolted by President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, a pivotal region in the nation’s oil production. This unprecedented move, the first in over a decade, has been met with a spectrum of reactions, reflecting the complexity of the situation.
Genesis of the Crisis
The turmoil in Rivers State has been brewing for months, primarily due to a power tussle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and factions within the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Also, the discord escalated when state lawmakers initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, accusing him of illegal budget presentations and issues related to the legislative chamber’s composition. This internal strife significantly hampered governance and stability in the state.
Compounding the political unrest, Rivers State experienced a surge in pipeline vandalism. Notably, a recent explosion on the Trans Niger Pipeline resulted in a fire outbreak, disrupting a major oil transportation route.
Furthermore, President Tinubu expressed concern over these incidents, mentioning the lack of effective action by the state government to address the sabotage, which poses threats to both the economy and environmental safety.
Presidential Intervention
In response to the escalating crisis, President Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025. This action led to the suspension of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Additionally, retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas was appointed as the military administrator to oversee the state’s affairs during this period, with the judiciary remaining functional to ensure the rule of law.
Legislative Approval
Following the declaration, both chambers of the National Assembly—the Senate and the House of Representatives—endorsed the state of emergency.
Despite initial resistance from some opposition parliamentarians, the lawmakers acknowledged the necessity of the measures to address the pressing issues in Rivers State. The emergency rule is set to last for six months, during which the federal government will implement strategies to stabilize the region.
Diverse Reactions
The declaration has elicited a wide array of responses:
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Legal Community:
The Nigerian Bar Association criticized the suspension of elected officials as illegal, arguing that a declaration of emergency does not automatically dissolve or suspend elected state governments.
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Regional Organizations:
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) rejected the declaration, describing it as hasty and unjustifiable. They argued that the move was unnecessary and failed to address the real issues causing the political crisis in the state.
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Political Analysts:
Also, figures like Dr. Reuben Abati, former media aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, labeled the declaration as an “impeachable offence,” asserting that the president lacks constitutional authority to remove a state governor through such a proclamation.
Rivers State, located in the Niger Delta, is vital for Nigeria’s crude oil production. The region has faced issues of pipeline sabotage that disrupt production and exports.
In a high-profile legal battle, actor Ryan Reynolds is seeking dismissal from a $400 million defamation lawsuit filed by fellow actor and director Justin Baldoni. The dispute originates from allegations by Reynolds’ wife, actress Blake Lively, who accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the production of the film “It Ends With Us.”
The controversy began in December 2024 when Lively filed a civil rights complaint against Baldoni, alleging repeated sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour on set.
She claimed that after raising these concerns, Baldoni and his associates initiated a campaign to tarnish her reputation.
In response, Baldoni filed a counter-lawsuit in January 2025, accusing Lively and Reynolds of defamation, civil extortion, and invasion of privacy.
He alleged that the couple attempted to “hijack” the film and destroy his career. Baldoni’s lawsuit also named Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, and her firm, Vision PR Inc., as defendants.
Also, Reynolds’ legal team recently filed a motion to dismiss the defamation claims against him. They argue that referring to Baldoni as a “predator” constitutes a protected opinion under the First Amendment.
The motion asserts that there is no evidence suggesting Reynolds did not believe his statement to be true, and therefore, it does not meet the criteria for defamation.
Furthermore, Reynolds’ attorneys contend that Baldoni’s allegations about a character named “Nicepool” in Reynolds’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” film, purportedly mocking Baldoni, do not amount to legal harm but rather “hurt feelings.” They emphasize that Reynolds’ involvement in the matter stems solely from his role as a supportive spouse to Lively.
Baldoni’s legal team disputes Reynolds’ motion, asserting that Reynolds was actively involved in a smear campaign against Baldoni.
Additionally, Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, criticized Reynolds for attempting to “run from the flames” by seeking dismissal from the lawsuit. Freedman maintains that the claims against Reynolds are serious and that he must be held accountable for his actions.
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