Mexico "A matter of life and death": Hurricane Milton threatens Florida

Only about a week and a half after "Helene", another dangerous hurricane is approaching Florida. "Milton" was heading for the southern US state in the Gulf of Mexico with sustained wind speeds of around 240 kilometers per hour. It was therefore only just below the threshold for the highest hurricane category 5, which it had already reached in the meantime. "Milton" is expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday (local time) as a category 4 hurricane. For many residents trying to get to safety, a race against time has begun: The highways are jammed, gas stations are running out of gas.

"It's a matter of life and death," warned US President Joe Biden, who has canceled his trips to Germany and Angola due to the storm. The 81-year-old had actually planned to leave for Berlin on Thursday. He described "Milton" as a potentially "devastating" storm that could be one of the worst to hit Florida in the last hundred years. He urged people in the affected regions to get to safety.

Dramatic warnings for Florida

"Milton" is expected to reach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday evening (local time). In the city of Tampa, Mayor Jane Castor issued an impressive warning to the population on CNN: "I can say without any dramatization: if you choose to stay in one of the evacuation areas, you will die." Numerous airports in the state ceased operations.

"Milton" has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes ever recorded in the region, the National Hurricane Center warned. Normally dry areas near the coast could be flooded by the rising water. Life-threatening storm surges with water levels of up to five meters and destructive winds are to be expected. "Rainfall poses the risk of life-threatening flash floods and flooding in cities," it continued. Tornadoes must also be expected.

Second hurricane within a few days

Florida is still struggling with the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Around a week and a half ago, "Helene" made landfall in northwest Florida as the second-highest category hurricane. The storm then weakened, but caused severe flooding and destruction on its way north. According to consistent media reports, well over 200 people in six states lost their lives - in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump used the disaster for his election campaign and accused Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris of not doing enough for the victims. Harris is running against Trump for the Democrats in the presidential election on November 5. Both Biden and Harris visited the disaster area several times last week.

Hurricane season continues until the end of November

Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters. According to experts, increasing global warming increases the likelihood of strong storms. The hurricane season begins in the Atlantic on June 1 and lasts until November 30. The storms are named in alphabetical order.