Hurricane Milton Intensifies, Threatens Mexico, Florida

AFP/APP

Miami:  Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthened on Monday, posing a severe threat to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Florida, with dangerously high winds and storm surges forecast in the coming days.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) classified Milton as an “extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane” with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles (240 kilometers) per hour.

The storm’s rapid intensification follows closely on the heels of the deadly Hurricane Helene.

Evacuations have already been ordered for some Florida residents, marking the second time in weeks they have faced such warnings. 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 51 of the state’s 67 counties, urging residents to prepare as crews race to clear the damage left by Hurricane Helene before Milton’s expected mid-week landfall.

Authorities are closely monitoring the storm’s path as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico, with potential catastrophic impacts anticipated for both Mexico and Florida.