Florida is preparing for its largest evacuation in seven years as the US state braces for the arrival of Hurricane Milton. The weather system, which strengthened from a tropical storm to a hurricane on Sunday, is forecast to make landfall in the US on Wednesday.

The hurricane, which is currently sweeping east across the Gulf of Mexico, is predicted to hit the Tampa Bay area before travelling over Orlando. It comes after more than 200 people were killed when Hurricane Helene tore across southeastern US, including parts of Florida, late last month.

Forecasters say some affected areas will likely be hit again, worsening the damage caused less than a fortnight ago. Kevin Guthrie, director of Florida's emergency management division, warned that residents should prepare for the "largest evacuation that we have seen most likely since 2017 Hurricane Irma".

He added: "I highly encourage you to evacuate."

In 2017, around seven million people were ordered to flee their homes in Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma, which ended up killing more than 130 people in the state. The mass evacuation caused long traffic jams on motorways and major queues at petrol stations.

Officials say they have learnt lessons from the chaotic scenes in 2017, and will have emergency fuel stations and charging points for electric vehicles along evacuation routes.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned power cuts were likely and that debris caused by Hurricane Helene would "increase dramatically".

He added: "I don't think there's any scenario where we don't have major impacts at this point.

"You have time to prepare – all day today, all day Monday, probably all day Tuesday to be sure your hurricane preparedness plan is in place.

"If you're on that west coast of Florida, barrier islands, just assume you'll be asked to leave."

Pinellas County, which includes the city of St Petersburg, is likely to issue mandatory evacuations for more than 500,000 people in the lowest-lying areas on Monday, officials told a news conference. Evacuations have already been ordered for six hospitals, 25 nursing homes and 44 assisted living facilities in the county.

St Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said: "We already will be rebuilding for years because of Hurricane Helene, and that will be exacerbated by the impacts of this storm.

"Remember, Hurricane Helene was 100 miles away from us, moving in a different direction. This is a powerful category two or three hurricane headed directly for us."

Impact of Hurricane Helene on Florida

Hurricane Milton's threat to Florida is intensified by the fact that the state is still recovering from the devastation left by Hurricane Helene just days ago. Experts warn that Milton, expected to make landfall mid-week, could amplify damage in areas already struggling with debris, weakened infrastructure, and overextended resources.

“There are some areas with a lot of debris that is there, so if you get hit with a major hurricane, what's going to happen to that debris? It's going to increase the damage dramatically,” governor Ron DeSantis said.

AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva warned that debris from Helene could "turn into airborne missiles or be swept away in flooding and storm surge."

Milton's storm surge could surpass what many experienced during Helene, meteorologists warned, urging residents to heed evacuation orders.

“Rescues will be incredibly dangerous, if not impossible during this storm,” Mr DaSilva said.

Milton’s Path and Potential Impacts

Milton rapidly intensified on Sunday and is on track to become a major hurricane with the Tampa Bay, Florida, in its sights. The National Hurricane Center predicts that Milton will become "an intense hurricane with multiple life-threatening hazards" and will likely make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast by midweek, as the storm charts its path eastwards as a Category 1 hurricane, according to the NHC’s latest update.

It comes less than two weeks after Helene made landfall at Florida’s Big bend as a devastating Category 4 hurricane on September 26, taking more than 220 lives as it carved its path north through the southeast. Now, Pinellas County Sheriff has issued a warning ahead of Milton’s prospective landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday.

"This is going to be bad. That’s all you need to know,” Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said during an emergency press conference on Sunday afternoon. “Everyone just needs to get out."

He continued: "In the past, mandatory evacuation orders have been issued and bars stay open. Restaurants stay open. And people just go about their business in stores. That’s not going to happen this time. We’re going to shut you down because we can’t have the tragedy that we had a week and a half ago."

Heavy rainfall will likely impact Florida even before Milton makes landfall on Wednesday. According to the National Hurricane Centre, the Florida Keys and portions of the state’s peninsula can experience 5 to 8 inches of rainfall with localised totals up to 15 inches as the storm inches closer.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Hurricane Milton

DeSantis warned the storm surge and power outages could exceed those caused by Helene, especially given the leftover debris. “There are some areas with a lot of debris... if hit by a major hurricane, it’s going to dramatically increase damage,” he said.

President Biden on Hurricane Milton

President Joe Biden is due to be briefed this afternoon.

Trump’s Response to Hurricane Helene and Milton

Donald Trump has condemned President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s response to Hurricane Helene, claiming that relief money is being given to immigrants. The former president has been a vocal critic of the Biden Administration’s response to the the storm which slammed into Florida’s Big Bend last month, taking more than 220 lives and causing hundreds of billions of dollars of damage.

Upon his return to Butler, Pennsylvania, for a rally, the former president falsely claimed that people affected by Hurricane Helene will only received $750 from the federal government. Now, Trump has taken to Truth Social and claims the Biden Adminstration’s rescue operation is the “worst” in history.

“The the GREAT people of North Carolina are being stood up by Harris and Biden, who are giving almost all of the FEMA money to Illegal Migrants in what is now considered to be the WORST rescue operation in the history of the U.S,” Trump said on Truth Social. “On top of that, Billions of Dollars is going to foreign countries! NORTH CAROLINA HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY ABANDONED BY KAMALA!!! DROP HER LIKE SHE DROPPED YOU - VOTE FOR PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP. MAGA2024!”

A Call to Action: Prepare for Hurricane Milton

The Pinellas County Sheriff issued an urgent warning for residents to “get out” as the region continues its recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. “This is going to be bad. That’s all you need to know,” Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said during an emergency press conference on Sunday afternoon. “Everyone just needs to get out.”

He continued: “In the past, mandatory evacuation orders have been issued and bars stay open. Restaurants stay open. And people just go about their business in stores. That’s not going to happen this time. We’re going to shut you down because we can’t have the tragedy that we had a week and a half ago.”

With the second major hurricane in less than two weeks bearing down on Florida, it's a critical time for residents and officials to work together and prioritize safety. As the situation unfolds, it's important to stay informed, heed official warnings, and take necessary precautions to ensure the well-being of yourself and your community.