Florida residents are bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm that has caused authorities to issue evacuation warnings for areas of the state.
Several Brazilians heard by the CNN reported the guidance to stock up on supplies and not leave the house. Felipe Miranda, an accountant and businessman who lives in Winter Garden, in the Orlando region, decided to go to another state to protect himself from the storm.
The hurricane was predicted to pass “over” Miranda’s house, as he told the report. He went with his family, including a baby, to Savannah, Georgia, and is expected to spend three to four days in the city.
Like Miranda, several Brazilians also commented on the shortage of products in supermarkets and fuel shortages at some gas stations.
Alexandro Menes also lives in Winter Garden. As reported, the recommendation is to stock water, non-perishable products and fill the bathtub with water for basic needs, in case there is an interruption in supply.
He pointed out that schools will be closed on Wednesday (9) and Thursday (10), days that are expected to record the greatest impacts from the hurricane.
Menes’ wife is a nurse and will be on duty for three days straight. “She goes into the hospital tomorrow [quarta] six o’clock in the morning and only returns home on Friday”, he observed.
Fernanda Sepulveda lives in the central part of Orlando. She stated to CNN that many people are leaving the city and that he also considered leaving home and going to Georgia.
However, he pointed out that there is a lot of traffic and accidents. Additionally, she has a young baby and her house is hurricane protected, which made her decide to stay in the city.
“At this point it is very difficult to find supplies. We found water, but a stove [portátil]gas, these things are more difficult. But the community is very united. According to the alert from our camera here in the neighborhood, people are always indicating where there is a supply, where you can find gas for a barbecue,” he said.
In several areas of Florida, gas stations are out of fuel. More than 1,000 establishments had this problem this Tuesday.
Cristiane dos Reis, business administrator, lives in Jensen Beach, an hour and a half from Orlando and Miami. She told the reporter that a friend had to go to five gas stations to get gas in her car.
The Brazilian also reported that there is a lack of supplies such as bread and water in some establishments.
She has lived in the United States since 2018 and, although she is not in an area where an evacuation alert has been issued, it was recommended to put protection on the windows and remove objects from outside the residences.
Almost unprecedented rapid intensification
Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified to a nearly unprecedented level, reaching Category 5 status due to record heat in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is currently in category 4.
It is expected to grow in size, meaning that while it may shrink in category, its dangerous impacts will be spread over a much larger area.
The storm is expected to reach the Florida Gulf coast this Wednesday (9), when it should be category 3.
Hurricane Milton was considered the strongest storm on the planet in 2024, with sustained winds of 281 km/h.
Recently, Hurricane Helene made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a storm surge and made landfall in the swamp region as a Category 4 hurricane.
Authorities are asking residents — still recovering from Helene’s damage — to evacuate or prepare for another life-threatening storm.
*with information from Luciana Caczan, from CNN
This content was originally published in “Hurricane will pass over my house”: Brazilians report seizure in the USA on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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