Amid reports of Milton potentially becoming a Category 3 Hurricane, Florida is urging residents to get prepared now. This means implementing the following precautions:
- Putting sandbags by doors to prevent flooding
- Securing loose items on porches and yards
- Stocking up on non-perishable food items
- Checking batteries on power banks and flashlights
- Staying up to date on evacuation zones
Florida officials taking early action
Over the weekend, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 35 counties, each expected to suffer impacts from Milton.
DeSantis also announced that both the Florida Department of Transportation and Florida Division of Emergency Management have been ordered to streamline debris removal that still lingers from Helene.
Regarding Milton, Florida is most at risk of the following:
- Five to eight inches of rainfall
- Land and river flooding
- Storm surges and power outages
The presence of Milton alone will naturally delay ongoing work to rebuild from Helene. If the storm does turn into a hurricane that hits Florida with intensity, the state’s recovery efforts could be potentially prolonged by several weeks.
