Pinellas County – One America News Network

Dane Grifford describes the damage and debris left by Hurricane Helene ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected landfall in the middle of this week in Treasure Island, Florida on October 7, 2024. Florida's governor has declared a state of emergency on Saturday as forecasters warned that Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall later this week. (Photo by Bryan R. SMITH / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)

Fla. Issues Largest Evacuation Warning In Almost A Decade As ‘Life-Threatening’ Hurricane Milton Strengthens To Cat. 4 Storm

Floridians have been issued urgent warnings to begin the largest evacuation in almost a decade as Hurricane Milton rapidly grew to a “life threatening” Category 4 storm containing 150 mph winds Monday, placing hundreds of thousands of residents still recovering from Helene at risk.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference at the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, Florida, on September 26, 2024 as Hurricane Helene was set to slam into the Florida coast as a "catastrophic" Category 4 storm. An increasingly powerful hurricane threatening "catastrophic," dangerous storm surges and flooding was forecast to hit Florida's Gulf coast on September 26, as thousands of residents evacuated towns along the US state's shoreline. Helene strengthened into a hurricane mid-morning September 25 in the Gulf of Mexico and is "expected to bring life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and flooding rains to a large portion of Florida and the Southeastern United States," the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its latest bulletin. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Florida Gov. DeSantis Expands State Of Emergency To 51 Counties Ahead Of Hurricane Milton

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency for 51 counties ahead of Hurricane Milton.