By: Staff Writer
October 8, 2024
As Hurricane Milton makes its way to Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis urged Florida residents to execute preparedness plans and to evacuate flood prone areas from this category 4 storm.
DeSantis is not the only government official asking residents to evacuate, but the Bahamian government has also urged its students studying in South Florida to make plans to evacuate from Milton’s path.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Bahamas said over the weekend that its national airline, Bahamasair, was offering two final flights from Orlando on October 7 and 8, and Bahamians are encouraged to take advantage of these flights or consider evacuation via Miami or Ft Lauderdale.
The Consul General’s office in Miami, led by Curt Hollingsworth, confirmed its readiness to help Bahamians in distress, according to the statement, as authorities stressed compliance with local evacuation orders for safety.
The Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Authority also issued a public advisory urging residents in the North and Northwest Bahamas, including Grand Bahama and Abaco, to prepare for Tropical Storm Milton, which is expected to become a hurricane by October 7.
Residents of the North and Northwest Bahamas were advised to exercise caution and remain vigilant for indirect effects of the storm, which may include surges, gusts, and heavy rainfall beginning early this week.
Meanwhile in Florida, officials are still urging residents to resupply disaster kits that may have been depleted during Helene on Monday and said those with special needs should sign up for the state registry as soon as possible.
The governor said the state can expect a number of evacuation orders to be issued today and that shelters would be open after evacuation orders were given. Officials also urged those with the means to do so to get on the road as soon as possible and to consider hotels in areas less likely to be hard hit, especially people who are reliant on power for medical devices.
Milton comes on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane before weakening over land. While Helene decreased in intensity as it traversed the Southeast, the storm still brought major devastation to several states, with western North Carolina still largely cut off due to storm damage.