Residents Flee Tampa Bay Region as Hurricane Milton Hits Florida Coast

Fearful Florida residents fled the Tampa Bay area Tuesday ahead of what could be a once-in-a-century direct hit by Hurricane Milton, as crews worked quickly to keep furniture, appliances, and other waterlogged wreckage from becoming deadly projectiles in this one.

Residents flee Tampa Bay Area

Tuesday marked the last chance for millions of residents in the Tampa metro area to prepare for devastating storm surges, furious winds, and possibly tornadoes in a region that has narrowly dodged a direct hit from a big hurricane for decades.

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

Gov. Ron DeSantis stated that the state had sent over 300 dump trucks, which had collected 1,300 tons of debris left behind by Hurricane Helene by Tuesday afternoon.

Nick Szabo of Clearwater Beach spent a second hard day lugging away 3-foot (0.9-meter) heaps of waterlogged mattresses, couches, and drywall after being hired by a local who was eager to assist in cleaning the roadways but hesitant to wait for overburdened city contractors.

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

Related: Hurricane Milton Restrengthens Into a Category 5 Storm