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Hurricane Milton set to hit Florida amid FEMA funding row

Category 5 storm approaches Tampa Bay area after Donald Trump claimed Kamala Harris had diverted ‘billions’ in emergency funds

Hurricane Milton is set to hit on Wednesday amid controversy over emergency response funding.
Florida is bracing for what could be its biggest evacuation in seven years as forecasters projected that Hurricane Milton could crash into the state’s west coast in two days’ time, bringing life-threatening winds and a devastating storm surge.
It comes less than two weeks after Florida’s Gulf Coast was ravaged by Hurricane Helene, which left at least 230 people dead and caused an estimated $160 billion in damage as it spiraled inland, bringing devastating rains to the Appalachian region.
The arrival of a second major storm will likely fuel criticism of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has in recent days come under fire from leading Republicans over its response to Helene.
Donald Trump claimed that Kamala Harris had diverted “billions” in emergency funds for Hurricane Helene victims to housing for illegal immigrants.
Hurricane Milton strengthened into a major Category 3 hurricane on Monday morning with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph as warnings were issued for parts of Florida and the Mexican coast, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, said on Sunday evening that while it remained to be seen where Milton would strike, it was clear the state was going to be hit hard. “I don’t think there’s any scenario where we don’t have major impacts at this point,” he said.
He added that a “flurry” of evacuation orders were going to start being issued on the west coast of Florida.
“You have time to prepare — all day today, all day Monday, probably all day Tuesday to be sure your hurricane preparedness plan is in place,” Mr DeSantis said. “If you’re on that west coast of Florida, barrier islands, just assume you’ll be asked to leave.”
While forecast models vary widely, the most likely path suggests Milton could make landfall on Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remain at hurricane strength as it moves across central Florida into the Atlantic Ocean.
Milton becomes a hurricane and is expected to strengthen as Floridians reel from Helene https://t.co/XxFv7COEPt pic.twitter.com/inG1HikFSa
Mr DeSantis expanded his state of emergency declaration on Sunday to 51 counties and said Floridians should prepare for more power outages and disruption, making sure they have a week’s worth of food and water and are ready to hit the road.
“We are preparing … for the largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since 2017, Hurricane Irma,” Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said at a Sunday briefing.
About seven million people were urged to evacuate Florida in 2017 as Hurricane Irma bore down on the state, leading to gridlocked highways and hours-long lines at gas stations as residents struggled to get out.
Building on lessons learned during Irma, Florida is this time staging emergency fuel and electric charging stations for vehicles along evacuation routes.
“We are looking at every potential, possible location that can potentially house someone, as what we refer to in emergency management, as a refuge of last resort,” Mr Guthrie said.
He added that people who live in homes built after Florida strengthened construction codes in 2004, who don’t depend on constant electricity and who aren’t in evacuation zones should probably avoid the roads.
Jane Castor, the Tampa mayor, echoed the governor, telling residents: “We need you all to listen. This is an incredibly powerful storm, and unfortunately, all the models are pretty consistent right now, and we are in that bullseye.”
Schools in St Petersburg’s Pinellas County have closed as Milton approaches, while officials in Tampa have opened all city garages free of charge to residents hoping to protect their cars from floodwaters, including electric vehicles.
National Guard crews dispatched to North Carolina in the wake of Helene have been recalled in preparation for Milton, as more than 4,000 were sent out to remove debris. “All available state assets … are being marshaled to help remove debris,” Mr DeSantis said. “We’re going 24-7 … it’s all hands on deck.”
With Milton achieving hurricane status, this is the first time the Atlantic has had three simultaneous hurricanes after September, according to Phil Klotzbach, a Colorado State University hurricane scientist. There have been four simultaneous hurricanes in August and September.
The St Petersburg-Tampa Bay area is still cleaning up extensive damage from Helene, which swamped the coastal area with torrential rains and a powerful storm surge that left 12 people dead in the state.
Deanne Criswell, FEMA administrator, has defended her agency’s response to the destruction left behind by Helene, after its emergency response was transformed into a political football by Republicans.
“This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people and it’s really a shame we’re putting politics ahead of helping people,” Ms Criswell told ABC, adding that it created fear and mistrust among residents towards FEMA employees.
Her comments came after Trump slammed FEMA’s response at a rally on Thursday in Michigan, where he told his supporters that “Kamala spent all the FEMA money, billions of dollars, for housing for illegal immigrants”.
He continued: “People are dying in North Carolina – they’re dying all over. There’s five, six states and they’re getting no help from our federal government.
“Because they have no money. Because their money’s been spent on people that should not be in our country.”
His comments were echoed by his running mate JD Vance, who claimed on Friday that the government’s response to Hurricane Helene was a “disgrace.”
The Harris campaign shot back at Trump on Friday, saying he had “gutted” FEMA during his White House tenure by diverting $150 million to border security.
Jaclyn Rothenberg, FEMA’s public affairs director, described Trump’s claims as “false”, saying in a statement: “The claims about FEMA confiscating or taking commodities, supplies or resources in North Carolina, Tennessee, or any state impacted by Helene are false.”
The Department of Homeland Security is not able to move money from migrant resettlement schemes, known as the Shelter and Service Program, to other areas because this is decided by an Act of Congress.
Federal disaster assistance has surpassed $137 million since Helene struck more than a week ago, one of the largest mobilizations of personnel and resources in recent history, FEMA said on Sunday.
More than 15,000 troops, National Guardsmen and federal workers have been deployed, shipping tens of millions of meals and gallons of water, as well as providing emergency supplies and housing assistance for over 27,000 households, according to FEMA, the White House and the Department of Defense.
A FEMA spokesman said that the response to Helene would not let up during Milton and its aftermath, as the agency has the capacity to address multiple disasters simultaneously.

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