Hurricane Milton is rapidly strengthening to category five strength

According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Milton has rapidly developed into a category five storm as it heads towards the US Gulf Coast.

Violent winds of up to 175 mph were recorded as Milton made its way toward Florida, where it is expected to make landfall Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning, the NHC said.

Florida residents have been told to prepare for the state’s largest evacuation effort in years. Governor Ron DeSantis warned that time to evacuate people was quickly running out.

“We have to assume this is a monster,” Gov. DeSantis said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

Warnings for Hurricane Milton come just 10 days after Hurricane Helene – the deadliest storm on land since Katrina in 2005 – struck the southeastern US, killing at least 225 people. Hundreds more are missing.

At least 14 of those deaths occurred in Florida, where 51 of 67 counties are now under emergency warnings as Milton approaches.

“Unfortunately, some of the Helene victims are in the path of this storm,” DeSantis said.

“I would imagine (Milton) would be more life-threatening … because of the strength of this storm and where it could end up.”

He urged residents to begin storm preparations early and heed evacuation warnings.

National Weather Service (NWS) Director Ken Graham said Milton became a Category Five hurricane at record-breaking speeds – with wind speeds increasing by 80 knots (148 km/h) in 24 hours.

“This is the third highest we have ever recorded,” he said.

Hurricanes are divided into five categories based on their wind speed.

According to the NWS, hurricanes of category three and above are considered major hurricanes due to their potential for significant loss of life and damage.

Hurricane Milton is expected to weaken as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and become a category three storm when it makes landfall in Florida’s Tampa Bay on Wednesday evening or early Thursday, CBS News, the US news partner, reports BBC. reported.

Milton is then expected to continue its course northeast, crossing the Florida Peninsula toward the Atlantic Ocean.

Long lines formed at gas stations across South Florida on the Monday before Milton’s landfall, and some reported stations running out of fuel.

DeSantis said traffic congestion in some areas has increased up to 90% above average.

The state has opened additional lanes on some highways to improve traffic flow.

School closures will begin in several districts on Tuesday.

Keith Turi, a spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), said: “I am heartened by the scale of the evacuations currently taking place.”

“That’s actually a good sign.”

The NHC warned that torrential rain and flash flooding are expected in parts of Florida starting Monday.

It added that life-threatening storm surges and damaging winds were possible along parts of Florida’s west coast starting late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Rainfall totals could reach local highs of 15 inches (38 cm), and coastal areas could experience storm surges of 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3.5 m).

DeSantis warned residents in the storm’s path, particularly in areas with storm surge potential, to leave as quickly as possible.

“Time is running out very, very soon,” he said.

Counties began issuing evacuation orders Monday and tolls on roads in western and central Florida are suspended.

DeSantis also warned Floridians that the storm may be severe as it moves across the state.

“It will remain a hurricane until it leaves the east coast of Florida,” he said.

“This will cause great damage whatever ends up happening,” he added.

Parts of Pinellas County, where at least a dozen people were killed by Helene, were evacuated Monday.

Tampa International Airport announced it would suspend flight operations starting Tuesday because of the storm.

The approach of the new hurricane comes as the US government warns that the cleanup after Hurricane Helene could take years.

According to officials, over 12,000 cubic yards of debris were removed in areas of Florida affected by Helene in less than two days.

DeSantis said debris removal will continue “until it is no longer safe to do so.”

Hundreds of roads in the affected areas remain closed, making it difficult to deliver relief supplies to the hardest-hit communities.

Helene made landfall as a category four hurricane in late September, damaging buildings, causing flash floods and leaving millions of households without power.

In addition to Florida, deaths were also recorded in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, as well as the hardest-hit state of North Carolina.

President Joe Biden has ordered the deployment of an additional 500 troops to North Carolina. The current total of 1,500 troops will work alongside thousands of government and National Guard auxiliaries.

Biden has so far approved almost $140 million (£107 million) in federal aid. The use of the money has been the subject of false claims by Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in next month’s presidential election, who claimed aid money was being spent on migrants.

Trump was accused of “dangerous” misinformation by the head of the US Civil Protection Agency.