by Mick the Ram

President Joe Biden has told those people in the path of Hurricane Milton to follow the instructions of officials and leave immediately, stressing: “the time to evacuate is now, now, now!” before stating that it is a “matter of life and death”.

He made his comments during an address in which he reiterated that the hurricane set to smash into Florida late on Wednesday (9 October) could be “the deadliest storm in a century”.

Political leaders assured of assistance

The potential scale and impact is likely to be devastating and the president passed on information relayed to him that there is potential for the storm to enter Florida from the Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane, and actually remain in such a classification as it travels right through the state, before leaving on the Atlantic coast.

“God willing it won’t be but that’s what it’s looking like right now,” he added, before confirming that he had spoken with all political leaders in the region, and assured them all that “anything they ask for, they can get.”

Overseas trips cancelled

The president was scheduled to leave for Berlin, Germany, on Thursday 10 October, for a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

He was then due to fly on to the Angolan capital Luanda later in the week, to discuss economic partnerships and a vision for Africa’s first transcontinental open-access rail network, connecting the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, among other issues.

The decision was quickly made to postpone both trips. “I just don’t think I can be out of the country at this time,” Mr Biden said.

An understanding Chancellor Scholz said their get together would be rescheduled, explaining: “It would have been a very important meeting, but I have to say, quite frankly, if such storms were raging in my country, then I would also make this same decision.”

Request for help from airlines and hotels

The president called on all the airlines and hotels not to engage in “price gouging” by massively upping their rates when they need to be a lifeline for people.

US airlines seemed to take his words onboard by announcing they would waive change fees and fare differences for passengers impacted by the storms.

Danger in the highest extreme

The US air force’s “Hurricane Hunters” – aircraft that fly into the heart of hurricanes to take measurements – found sustained winds in the middle of the storm estimated to be about 155mph (250km/h) with even stronger gusts.

At present Milton is at the top-end of a category four hurricane. The intensity is forecast to wane slightly before it makes landfall in Florida on Wednesday night, but nevertheless, it will remain an “extremely dangerous force” according to the US National Hurricane Center.

Mass cancellation of flights

Hundreds of flights to and from Florida have been affected ahead of its arrival, with a total of 346 flights incoming and outgoing, cancelled at Tampa International Airport, the city expected to take the first impact.

A further 378 flights into and out of Tampa have already been cancelled for Wednesday 9th. The figure is even greater for flights to Orlando, with a total of 781 Wednesday flights already cancelled.

Governor’s sobering warning

State Governor Ron DeSantis has warned residents that “almost every place on the west coast of Florida” could be hit with a “really serious storm surge”.

He called the evacuations and preparations ahead of Hurricane’s arrival “unprecedented” for a region already reeling from the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, before speaking of the major concern for people’s safety from debris still to be cleared from that storm, which could be picked up and hurled like “missiles” with devastating effect in the coming hours.