Hurricane Milton is now a category 5 and, after gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, headed for the southeastern US state of Florida, world agencies report.
It is the highest category in the hurricane classification index. Storms in it are characterized by wind speeds over 251 km/h and usually cause catastrophic damage to private and public infrastructure, long-term power outages, intense flooding, and often loss of life.
"The storm's maximum sustained winds could reach speeds of 285 km/h. "If the storm stays on its current track, it will be the worst to hit the Tampa area in more than 100 years," the National Weather Service said.
Climate migrants
Due to the dangerous situation, state authorities have issued evacuation orders. Almost the entire west coast of Florida is under threat, with more than a million people told to evacuate. Five and a half million have left their homes so far.
On top of that, many places still haven't cleared up from the last natural disaster that hit the state, Hurricane Helen. The remaining debris is a great danger, as it can literally be turned into projectiles by Milton's gusts.
Meteorologists expect Milton to hit most seriously late Wednesday evening local time (Thursday morning Bulgarian time).
Because of the expected weather, US President Joe Biden postponed his trip to Germany and Angola.
“Evacuate now! It is a matter of life and death. This could be Florida's worst storm in more than a century. God forbid it isn't, but right now it looks like it is," Biden said.