DeSantis: 'Time is running out' as evacuations ordered in western Florida ahead of Milton

Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday urged those who have yet to move out of the path of Hurricane Milton to do so as soon as possible with mandatory evacuations in effect for parts of western Florida.

Speaking in a press conference at the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, DeSantis warned that "time is running out" to get out of the state with Milton, a category 4 storm as of Tuesday morning, expected to make landfall in the region late Wednesday.

"There's no guarantee what the weather's going to be like starting Wednesday morning," he said.

"You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not. So use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family."

DeSantis said the "entire west coast" of Florida is facing a significant storm surge from Milton with some areas expecting to see water get as high as 15 feet from the storm.

"We just saw what just four feet [of storm surge] did to some of these communities," DeSantis said. "This is something that's going to be really significant."

He warned residents that last-moment movements in the storm could vary from the National Weather Service cone, where the eye could end up anywhere from Tampa to Fort Myers. He said 51 counties are currently under a state of emergency.

"Milton is no longer a Category 5, but it can grow back to that as it moves to the state of Florida," DeSantis said. "The forecast expects it to weaken before it makes landfall. I hope that is true. Even if it does weaken, you're still looking at a major hurricane. It's really going to have some significant impacts.

Mandatory evacuation orders were in effect for the counties of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Manatee, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus and Levy along Florida's western coast and Volusia on the eastern coast of Central Florida.

Public officials are urging residents to leave as the powerful storm, which was listed as a Category 5 hurricane on Monday, approaches the area. Officials said they are anticipating a "life-threatening storm surge" in the areas they called for the evacuations.

"If you stay in an evacuation zone, I can't promise you that you'll be safe," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said, according to WBPF-TV . About 3.3 million Florida residents are covered by the current hurricane warning connected with Milton.

The evacuations are the latest warnings being given by officials as Milton moves closer to Florida in areas just hit by Hurricane Helene about two weeks ago.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for both the East and West coasts of Florida.

On the West coast, where the storm is expected to hit first, a hurricane warning has been issued from Bonita Beach northward to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including the Tampa Bay area.

A hurricane warning has been issued on the East coast from the Indian River/St. Lucie county line to Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Mary's River.