Hurricane Milton strengthens as it heads towards storm-ravaged Florida 

Hurricane Milton is gaining strength as it churns towards the coast of Florida, authorities have warned, as the southeastern United States continues to reel in the aftermath of the deadly and destructive Hurricane Helene.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Sunday that Milton had intensified into a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130km per hour (80 miles per hour).

It was expected to “become a major hurricane on Monday”, the NHC said.

While forecast models vary widely, the most likely path suggests Milton could make landfall on Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida into the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said.

That would largely spare other southeastern US states ravaged by Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage from Florida into the Appalachian mountains.

The death toll from Helene rose to 230 people on Sunday, days after the storm roared into the Florida coastline as a Category 4 hurricane on September 26 before carving a path of destruction inland and causing major flash flooding.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that while it remains unclear where exactly Milton will strike, it was clear that the US state would be hit hard.

“I don’t think there’s any scenario where we don’t have major impacts at this point,” said DeSantis, who raised the number of counties under a state of emergency to 51 ahead of the storm’s arrival.

He urged Florida residents to ensure they have a “hurricane preparedness plan” in place.

“If you’re on that west coast of Florida, barrier islands, just assume you’ll be asked to leave,” the governor added.

US President Joe Biden said on Sunday that he had been briefed on Milton and that his administration was preparing “life-saving resources”.

“I urge all residents in Florida to listen to local officials and make preparations as needed,” Biden said in a statement.

“As these communities brace for potentially yet another catastrophic storm, and as part of my Administration’s solemn obligation to stand with impacted communities as they rebuild their lives, we will continue working hand-in-hand with local and state leaders – regardless of political party and no matter how long it takes.”

Kevin Guthrie, the executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said the agency was preparing “for the largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since [the] 2017 Hurricane Irma“.

“I highly encourage you to evacuate” if you’re in an evacuation zone, Guthrie said.

The state has prepared emergency fuel sources and electric vehicle charging stations along evacuation routes, and “identified every possible location that can possibly house someone along those routes”, Guthrie added.

The St Petersburg-Tampa Bay area is still cleaning up extensive damage from Helene and its powerful storm surge.

Twelve people were killed as Helene swamped the coast, with the worst damage along the narrow, 32km (20-mile) string of barrier islands that stretch from St Petersburg to Clearwater.