
*As Hurricane Milton, a catastrophic Category 5 storm, barrels toward Florida’s coastline, Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa Bay has issued a chilling warning to residents who refuse to heed evacuation orders: “If you choose to stay … you are going to die.”
In an interview on CNN, Castor underscored the grave dangers posed by this unprecedented storm, which is projected to be more powerful than the recent Hurricane Helene that devastated parts of the Sunshine State.
Cycling through the urgency of the situation, Castor emphasized that the time for Florida residents to flee is now. With Hurricane Milton potentially making landfall as early as Wednesday, the mayor declared:
“This is literally catastrophic,” clearly articulating the peril that lies ahead. “Helene was a wakeup call; this storm is something we’ve never seen before,” she warned.

The mayor’s stark message highlights the severe forecast predicting a tidal surge of 10 to 12 feet, significantly greater than the 6-foot surge produced by Hurricane Helene.
“If we have this predicted storm surge, this is not survivable,” she reiterated, clarifying that staying in evacuation zones could lead to tragic outcomes.
Tampa Bay, home to many families, is in the storm’s direct path. Castor described the storm’s strength, as Milton holds the record as the second-strongest hurricane to form in the Gulf of Mexico, boasting winds of 180 mph and significant heavy rainfall. As fear escalates, panic buying has emptied supermarket shelves, and long lines of cars are already leaving the city as residents heed the urgent call to evacuate.
“We cannot afford to take this lightly,” said Castor, who has served as Tampa’s mayor since 2019. “This is a situation that requires immediate action. Anyone born and raised in this area has never experienced a storm of this magnitude, and they need to understand the severity of what’s coming.”

As the storm looms, local authorities take every precaution and emphasize the importance of adhering to evacuation orders.
With memories of Helene still fresh in the minds of many residents, the urgency of Castor’s message resonates loudly across the region: fleeing from Hurricane Milton may be a matter of life or death.
As the community comes together to prepare for the impending storm, Castor’s plea serves as a poignant reminder of the power of nature and the necessity of taking proactive measures in the face of impending disaster.
The time to act is now; lives depend on it.

MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: ‘Here We Go Again’: Milton Becomes A Hurricane and is Expected to Strengthen As Floridians Reel from Helene | WATCH