As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida’s west coast, emergency officials are delivering severe warnings about its potential damage. With maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, the storm’s strength has ranged from Category 4 to Category 5.
Meteorologists expect the hurricane to make landfall in Tampa late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. The state is getting ready for catastrophic devastation, and the projected storm surge, which is expected to be deadly, has triggered evacuation orders in liable areas.
Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa underscored the gravity of the situation. She remarked that the bad weather on their way was nothing short of disastrous.
“Helene was a wake-up call; this is literally catastrophic,” Castor stated. “If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die.” She emphasized the significance of locals following evacuation instructions without delay.
Castor emphasized the storm’s enormous scale and devastating potential. The National Hurricane Center has also identified a substantial hazard.
The NHC predicts storm surges in Manatee County of up to 15 feet. This poses a significant concern to Zone A, since inundation occurs at only 11 feet.
The National Hurricane Center has called the surge situation as “extremely life-threatening.” They advised urgent action, saying that waiting until the storm arrived would leave little time to evacuate.
Despite these warnings, one institution stands firm: Manatee County Jail. The prison, which houses around 1,200 inmates, is in the Zone A evacuation zone.
Local authorities have ordered that everyone in this zone and next to Zone B evacuate. However, as of Tuesday afternoon, the jail maintained its decision not to relocate inmates.
What’s the reason? Officials note the prison’s ability to endure prior storms without severe flooding. They believe the existing plan, which involves stockpiling supplies and sandbags, will suffice.
Jodie Fiske, Manatee County’s Public Safety Director, justified the evacuation orders. She stressed the expected ferocity of Hurricane Milton.
“Milton is anticipated to cause more storm surge than Helene,” she said. “So, if you stayed during Helene and got lucky, I would not press my luck with this particular system.”
Despite her warning, the deputy at the Manatee County Jail stated that convicts would not be transferred unless flooding occurred. In such a case, they want to move prisoners to the building’s top floor.
This choice has sparked debate, particularly given experts’ concerns about Hurricane Milton’s severity. The storm’s strength, which previously peaked at 180 mph, has prompted some scientists to propose a new hurricane category.
In a research published earlier this year, retired federal scientist Jim Kossin and climate scientist Michael Wehner advocated establishing a “Category 6” to account for storms that exceed 192 mph. The pair saw that recent hurricanes had already reached this imaginary level.
They suggested that this tendency represents more intense storms as the climate warms. With guards anticipated to remain on-site during the storm, the jail’s choice not to evacuate has sparked controversy.
Experts anticipate that Milton will double in size before landfall, making its effects much more extensive. This includes devastating winds, deadly storm surges, and torrential rain.
It remains to be seen whether the facility’s precautions will withstand what some are describing as a “once-in-a-lifetime” storm. For the inmates inside, the following hours may be more dangerous than ever.
Feature Image Credit: (CanvaPro)
