TAMPA, Fla. – To prepare for Hurricane Milton, the waterlines for St. Pete Beach, a resort city on a Pinellas County barrier island, are set to turn off on Tuesday morning.
Pinellas County officials issued orders Sunday to evacuate about 6,600 patients from six hospitals, 25 nursing homes, and 44 assisted living facilities.
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“If you’re on that west coast of Florida and barrier islands, just assume that you likely are going to be called upon to evacuate,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Sunday.
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Meteorologists forecasted Milton’s impact was likely going to be more destructive in coastal areas. While Helene caused 6 to 8 feet of storm surge, Milton was set to cause over 10 feet.
The precise location of the landfall Wednesday evening at Florida’s Gulf Coast remained uncertain, but a Category 3 or 4 was a possibility as the hurricane gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico.
“We are preparing ... for the largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since 2017, Hurricane Irma,” said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
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