Hurricane Milton, currently heading towards Florida’s coast, is projected to be one of the most destructive storms ever to hit the state, according to estimates.
More than one million residents have been ordered to evacuate, as reported by Reuters.
Wednesday is the last day for Florida residents to leave before the storm hits. Highways are congested with people fleeing, and fuel shortages have been reported at gas stations.
Milton, a Category 5 hurricane, is expected to make landfall late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. The storm is currently headed towards the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, home to over three million people, though its path could still change.
The hurricane has reached wind speeds of nearly 260 kilometers per hour, placing it in the highest Category 5 storm classification, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The region is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which struck less than two weeks ago, Reuters noted.
