Florida Residents Take Risks as Hurricane Milton Approaches

As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, a sense of urgency pervades the state as residents either prepare their homes or heed evacuation orders. However, not all are taking the storm’s impending threat seriously. Recent footage from a live camera at the Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West has shown tourists and locals taking selfies in dangerous conditions, raising concerns and drawing criticism online.

The Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West, renowned as a popular tourist attraction, has become a focal point for risky behavior. The live feed captured individuals, including a shirtless man sporting Stars and Stripes shorts, posing with his girlfriend for photos despite the severe weather warnings. “Risking their lives for taking pictures, wow!” commented one viewer, while others shared similar sentiments on social media platforms.

Key West is not expected to face the worst of Hurricane Milton, with the storm’s center predicted to make landfall in Tampa Bay. However, the situation remains volatile as conditions can change rapidly. Despite being under a tropical storm warning, the Florida Keys, including Key West, are closed, as are ports, schools, and government offices, due to the potential for hazardous storm surges.

As Hurricane Milton moves towards the Florida coastline, it is expected to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday. Forecasts predict flash flooding, storm surges up to 15 feet, and powerful winds that could cause significant destruction. The hurricane, classified as a Category 4, represents the most substantial threat to Florida in recent memory, as reported by the National Weather Service.

Eleven counties in Florida, home to approximately six million people, are under mandatory evacuation orders, primarily in central and northern areas. However, some parts of the state, including the Florida Keys, remain under less severe warnings but still face risks from the storm’s periphery. The hurricane may also bring up to 18 inches of rain as it traverses central Florida, potentially sparing regions previously devastated by Hurricane Helene.

Florida’s residents and authorities are on high alert as Hurricane Milton advances. Local officials have urged those in evacuation zones to leave immediately. Tampa‘s Mayor, Jane Castor, issued a grave warning emphasizing the danger of staying in the storm’s path, particularly in the face of un-survivable storm surges. “So if you’re in it, basically that’s the coffin that you’re in,” Mayor Castor starkly noted.

The state government has mobilized resources, including the National Guard, to facilitate last-minute evacuations and provide assistance. Holmes Beach Police Chief William Tokajer further implored residents to leave, remarking, “If you don’t leave, you’re on your own… Take a pen and write your name and social security number on your leg so that we have a contact if we find you. Because this is not going to end well.”