Florida Residents Flee the Tampa Bay Area as Milton Makes Landfall

Before Hurricane Milton, which might be a once-in-a-century direct impact, fearful residents of Florida evacuated the Tampa Bay region on Tuesday. 

Emergency workers scrambled to prevent furniture, appliances, and other soggy debris from turning into lethal missiles during this hurricane.

People in the Tampa Bay area flee as Milton aims for Florida

Millions of people in the Tampa metro area had one last chance on Tuesday to prepare for deadly storm surges, ferocious winds, and perhaps tornadoes in a place that has narrowly avoided a direct blow from a major hurricane for decades.

"Today is the last day to prepare," said Craig Fugate, a former FEMA director who formerly oversaw the state's emergency operations division. "This is bringing everything."

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state has deployed over 300 dump trucks to collect 1,300 tons of debris left behind by Hurricane Helene by Tuesday afternoon.

Nick Szabo of Clearwater Beach worked a second day dragging 3-foot (0.9-meter) piles of soaked mattresses, couches, and drywall after being hired by a local who wanted to help clear the roads but didn't want to wait for overworked city contractors.

"All this crap is going to be missiles," he said. "It's like a spear coming at you."

Related: Hurricane Milton - Potentially Historic Big Storm in the US