Hurricane Milton re-strengthens to Category 5 storm as it hurtles towards Florida

Having already developed into one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record, Milton threatens a stretch of Florida’s densely populated west coast – which is still reeling from the devastating Hurricane Helene which smashed into it fewer than two weeks ago.

The NHC has warned that storm surges along the coastline north and south of Tampa Bay, could swamp swathes of Florida’s low-lying areas.

And it’s not just Milton’s extreme winds – forecasts of five to 10 inches (127 to 254 mm) or more of rainfall could herald more flash flooding further inland.

Officials have already issued grim statements ahead of the hurricane’s expected landfall – with Tampa’s mayor Jane Castor warning that local Floridians’ homes could become their coffins.

She said: “Individuals that are in a single-story home, 12 feet is above that… So if you’re in it, basically, that’s the coffin that you are in.”

The aforementioned Hurricane Helene has already destroyed much of the coast’s natural defences, sweeping away tons of sand, knocking down dunes and blowing away dune grass – effectively giving Milton a free hit at the state as it prepares for the worst.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has told residents in Milton’s path to “leave or die”, said dump trucks have been working around the clock to remove mounds of debris left by Helene over fears Milton could turn them into dangerous projectiles.

Residents have already begun taking action – images from St Petersburg show locals boarding up their homes ahead of Milton’s arrival.

Meanwhile, the city’s Tropicana Field Stadium has rolled out hundreds of beds for emergency workers in anticipation of a crisis to come.

At the same time, as many as 15.8 per cent of Florida’s petrol stations had run out of fuel by 11.10am local time (4.10pm UK time) as Floridians rushed to prepare for shortages.

But amid the panic, the aftermath of Hurricane Helene has left US emergency response agency Fema over-stretched already – while its reputation has been tarnished, both by its handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and by a string of attacks by Donald Trump, who has claimed agency money has been to help illegal migrants in the US.

Just nine per cent of its disaster-response workforce is available for Milton – though its administrator Deanne Criswell said on Tuesday that it was prepared to meet the needs of people in the hurricane’s path.