Hurricane Milton approaches Florida as powerful Category 4 storm as officials warn window to evacuate is closing
- by The Boston Globe
- Oct 09, 2024
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A boat run aground from a previous storm rests on the shore as Hurricane Milton approaches on Wednesday in Sarasota, Florida.
Sean Rayford/Getty
A mighty Hurricane Milton churned toward a potentially catastrophic collision with the west coast of Florida, where some residents insisted they would stay even after millions were ordered to evacuate. Stragglers face grim odds of surviving, officials said.
The Tampa Bay region, home to more than 3.3 million people, hasnât seen a direct hit from a major hurricane in more than a century. Milton fluctuated between categories 4 and 5 as it approached, but regardless of the distinction in wind speeds, the National Hurricane Center said, it would be a major and extremely dangerous storm when its center makes landfall late Wednesday. Milton could cost insurers more than Helene â 1:04 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Milton could be the first hurricane in more than 100 years to directly hit the Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3 million people.
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Insured losses could reach in the tens of billions of dollars at least, with the potential for more than $75 billion in losses if the storm directly hits Tampa as a Category 3 or stronger storm, according to an estimate from BMO Capital Markets.
Milton will be making landfall in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which wreaked havoc across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Helene hit a much less-populated area in the region. Inland areas at higher elevations, especially in western North Carolina, faced catastrophic flooding and many of homeowners lacked flood insurance. That will limit the number of claims to be paid out.
The ratings agency Moodyâs estimates insured losses from Helene could reach up to $14 billion. Flood insurance is typically excluded from most homeownersâ policies and the U.S. government administers most of the nationâs flood insurance. Moodyâs estimates the National Flood Insurance Programâs losses from Helene could reach $2 billion.
Hurricane Katrina, which slammed into New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Coast in 2005, was the costliest storm to ever hit the U.S. Insured losses measured $102 billion, after adjusting for inflation, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Insured losses from the Category 4 Hurricane Ian, which hit the West Coast of Florida in September 2022, were estimated in excess of $50 billion.
Surge from Milton starting to appear in Cape Coral â 12:56 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Just after noon Wednesday, surge was already starting to appear along the harbor in Cape Coral, at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River.
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The water had moved well up the beach and was nearing the parking lot. A pier was within a foot of being submerged.
Heavy rains from bands associated with Hurricane Milton were bringing heavy rain and wind gusts up to 40 mph.
Why Miltonâs direct hit on Florida will deliver one of the strongest blows in a century â 12:53 p.m.
By Ken Mahan, Globe Staff
Forecasters warn that Milton will slam into Florida at a near perpendicular, 90-degree angle â a strike with such force that wherever the center lands, the impacts will be more destructive and overwhelming than a typical hurricane â resulting in historic storm surges towering 15 feet, flooding rains and ferocious winds. Thatâs the highest ever storm surge predicted for the region and nearly double the levels reached two weeks ago during Helene, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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