Giant hurricane "Milton" races towards Florida 5 meter high waves expected +++ "If you stay, you will die" +++ Edelweiss brings crew to safety
Hurricane "Milton" threatens Florida and Mexico. Experts expect the hurricane to make landfall on Wednesday and cause huge damage. blue News will keep you up to date in the ticker.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Hurricane "Milton" makes landfall on Wednesday. Florida and parts of Mexico are particularly affected.
- Experts are expecting one of the most destructive hurricanes in history.
- blue News reports in the ticker.
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16.52 hrs
5 meter high waves expected
![Five meter high waves are expected in some regions.]()
Five meter high waves are expected in some regions. According to the American weather authorities, extreme waves must be expected when "Milton" hits land. These could reach heights of 3 to 5 meters, according to the latest situation report.
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4.50 p.m.
Joe Biden postpones trip to Germany due to "Milton"
US President Joe Biden is postponing his trip to Germany and Angola planned for Thursday and the following days due to Hurricane Milton, which is heading for Florida. This was announced by the White House on Tuesday.
The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said that the change of plans was necessary in view of the predicted strength of the storm. It remained unclear whether Biden would make up the trip at another time. He had promised to visit Africa during his term, which ends in January.
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15:55
Edelweiss brings crew to safety
Airlines are now also reacting to Hurricane Milton. The vacation airline Edelweiss has canceled its flight from Zurich to Tampa Bay, as the airline informed Blick on request. The storm passes directly through the city in the west of Florida, which led to the closure of Tampa International Airport. All crew members on the ground were taken to safety, explained Edelweiss spokesman Andreas Meier.
Swiss, also part of the Lufthansa Group, continues to fly to Miami. Despite a slight delay, today's flight took off as planned. Swiss spokeswoman Meike Fuhlrott told Blick that the situation can change constantly. They are monitoring the weather situation closely and are in contact with other airlines. Should Miami no longer be flyable, passengers would be informed in good time.
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3.25 p.m.
Video shows extreme lightning
Hurricane "Milton" is already moving towards Florida and Mexico. A video shows the extreme lightning in the well-known vacation region of Cancun. Thousands of people are fleeing.
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2.20 pm
"Milton" is getting bigger and bigger
Hurricane Milton grew significantly in size on Tuesday morning. The National Hurricane Center warned that the hurricane continues to grow in strength and size as it approaches Florida. Its tropical storm force winds now extend more than 100 miles from the center. At expected landfall in Florida on Wednesday evening, these winds could reach 230 miles - enough to cover the entire width of the peninsula.
Experts are warning of destructive winds, life-threatening storm surges and heavy rains that could occur well beyond the forecast range.
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11.30 a.m.
Meteorologist cries on camera
Meteorologist John Morales burst into tears on camera because of "Milton". "It's just an incredible, incredible, incredible hurricane," said Morales with tears in his eyes. "Milton" is record-breakingly strong. NBC's weather expert warns of the hurricane's extreme strength.
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11.02 a.m.
Thousands of people flee
In the last few days, hurricane "Milton" has developed into a category 5 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico with wind speeds of up to 260 kilometers per hour. According to US media, it is one of the strongest hurricanes in history. Nevertheless, it has recently weakened slightly to a category 4 storm.
According to experts at the National Hurricane Center NCH, "Milton" is expected to make landfall on Florida's west coast on Wednesday (tomorrow). Preparations are in full swing there: doors and windows are being barricaded, sandbags are being filled and the authorities have declared a state of emergency and ordered evacuations.
How bad "Milton" will actually hit the Sunshine State remains to be seen and depends on whether it will maintain its full force on heavily populated areas around the major city of Tampa. It is also unclear how high the destruction and the associated costs for the population and insurance companies will be.
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09:37
"If you stay, you will die"
Another dangerous hurricane is heading for Florida. Meanwhile, the warnings to the population are becoming increasingly alarming: "I can say without any dramatization: if you choose to stay in one of the evacuation areas, you will die," said the mayor of the city of Tampa, Jane Castor, on CNN.
In several parts of the US state, people have been asked to move to safety. In some cases, the hard shoulders have been opened up as lanes on the roads.
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09.08 a.m.
People prepare for the storm
In Tampa, people are preparing for the storm. Hundreds of ambulances are ready to evacuate hospitals and nursing homes, the Washington Post newspaper quoted the state's disaster control department as saying. Many elderly people live in the region, making the situation more difficult. A zoo in Tampa and the aquarium are also preparing for the storm, according to CNN. Corals are to be housed in other aquariums, while animal shelters are currently being secured at the zoo.
Florida is preparing for the next destructive storm. Shortly after "Helene", hurricane "Milton" is now heading towards the US state with force. As feared by experts, 2024 is shaping up to be a year characterized by many major storm fronts. This will also put pressure on insurers' balance sheets.
In recent days, hurricane Milton has developed into a category 5 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico with wind speeds of up to 260 kilometers per hour. According to US media, it is one of the strongest hurricanes in history. Nevertheless, it has recently weakened slightly to a category 4 storm.
The extent of the destruction remains to be seen
According to experts at the National Hurricane Center NCH, "Milton" is expected to make landfall on Florida's west coast on Wednesday. Preparations are in full swing there: doors and windows are being barricaded, sandbags are being filled and the authorities have declared a state of emergency and ordered evacuations.
How bad "Milton" will actually hit the Sunshine State remains to be seen and depends on whether it will maintain its full force on heavily populated areas around the major city of Tampa. It is also unclear how high the destruction and the associated costs for the population and insurance companies will be.