USA Hurricane Milton makes landfall on Florida's west coast
Hurricane Milton has made landfall on the west coast of Florida. The storm made landfall with sustained wind speeds of up to 193 kilometers per hour, according to the US Hurricane Center. Shortly before "Milton" hit the coast, it had been downgraded from the highest category 5 to level 4 and finally to 3. However, in view of the sheer size of the storm, the warnings remained as urgent as ever. US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas described the situation on CNN as a "matter of life and death".
10.10.2024, 02:49
SDA
The region around Tampa, which had already been classified as a high-risk area before the hurricane hit, is particularly affected. "Milton" is now expected to move from the Gulf coast of Florida across the state towards the Atlantic. Severe destruction is also expected beyond the coasts. Tornadoes were already raging in parts of Florida before the hurricane's arrival. Water levels rose rapidly as the strong winds drove the seawater inland.
Millions of people called to evacuate
Meteorologists predicted that it could be one of the most dangerous storms in the state's history. In addition to extreme wind speeds, heavy rainfall and dangerous storm surges are expected, which could cause widespread flooding.
The authorities ordered the evacuation of several coastal areas. Millions of people were asked to leave their homes and seek safety. Many heeded the call - there were reports of traffic jams and shortages of fuel and emergency accommodation. Finally, the authorities asked people to barricade themselves in place ("shelter in place"), as a safe evacuation was no longer possible.
Preparations were in full swing right up to the last minute. The US government initiated far-reaching aid measures to support the affected areas. The Pentagon mobilized thousands of National Guardsmen to help with rescue operations and the distribution of relief supplies. Emergency centers have also been set up to ensure rapid assistance during and after the storm.
A week and a half ago, storm "Helene" had already caused severe damage in Florida and several other states. Well over 200 people lost their lives. Many of those affected in Florida had no time to recover from the destruction in view of the arrival of "Milton".
Biden postpones visit to Germany
In view of the impending disaster, US President Joe Biden postponed his planned trip to Germany and Angola at short notice. Shortly before the hurricane's arrival, he once again warned of the extreme strength of the storm. "It looks like the storm of the century", he said at a meeting with representatives of important authorities. Vice President Kamala Harris also took part in the meeting, which was broadcast live on television. Biden later addressed the population again to warn of the impending dangers.
Warning against misinformation
The US President also addressed the spread of misinformation. In recent weeks, "reckless, irresponsible and merciless" lies have been circulated that have unsettled people. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is at the forefront of this disinformation campaign, said Biden.
Among other things, Trump had spread the conspiracy theory during campaign appearances that funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) were flowing to migrants without legal status in order to persuade them to vote illegally for the Democratic presidential candidate Harris. Biden firmly rejected this. The US President called false claims by Republican MP Marjorie Taylor Greene that the federal government controls the weather "beyond ridiculous".
It is not often that Biden mentions Trump or other politicians by name in his speeches - this underlines how much the hurricane is becoming a political issue and playing a role in the election campaign. With less than a month to go before the presidential election on November 5, polls suggest a very close race between Harris and Trump.
