Florida preps for Hurricane Milton

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Leaders in Florida are bracing for a category 4 hurricane.  Forecasters warn Hurricane Milton will hit Tampa Bay as it moves across Florida-west to east.

It’s expected to make landfall less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene.

Tampa Bay’s airport will close Tuesday morning.  The St. Petersburg and Clearwater airport will close after the last flight leaves Tuesday night.

State and federal officials, in Florida, are preparing for a direct hit.

“To everyone in the path of Milton, the time to prepare is now,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Forecasters warn near Tampa, the ocean could rise 8 to 12 feet above normal levels, affecting more than three million people.

“Storm surge can be incredibly life threatening and dangerous,” said FEMA Director of Public Affairs Jaclyn Rothenberg.

Jaclyn Rothenberg from FEMA says the agency is also managing the cleanup from Hurricane Helene.

More than 200 people have died across six states because of that storm.

Helene flooded towns, destroyed roads and swept away homes.

The White house says 7000 federal personnel are deployed in that storm’s cleanup.

“We have enough funding to respond to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton efforts,” said Rothenberg.

FEMA says it has enough money to manage both storms.  However, President Joe Biden wrote a letter to congressional leaders warning FEMA’s disaster relief fund “does face a shortfall at the end of the year.”   He’s asked them to take action when Congress returns in November.

“I know a lot of folks out there have survived hurricanes before. This one is going to be very, very serious,” said Vice President Kamala Harris.

President Biden says he may ask Congress to come back to pass emergency funding before the election, but he hasn’t done that yet.

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