Hurricane Milton

Ziplok

Problem is, not everyone can get away, and especially as some profiteering airlines have (allegedly) hiked up the price of air tickets meaning some people can’t afford them, and filling stations have either done the same (allegedly) or run out of fuel. So, it might be “total madness” to stay, but perhaps some have no choice. Plus, desperately ill people in hospitals, hospices, etc, will be stuck too, I imagine.

Plus, desperately ill people in hospitals, hospices, etc, will be stuck too, I imagine.

I think they have been evacuating critically ill people (those on ventilators, etc) over the last couple of days or so. But I believe most hospitals will remain open (except, obviously, for appointments).

I think they also have 'emergency teams' working during hurricane season.

As far as I know, only one hospital has evacuated and closed - one in Cocoa Beach.

I understand also that in some hospitals - caregivers can remain with their sick relatives, one per patient - until the storm is over.

😦 Oops. Should say Sarasota not Saratoga...

My in laws had the choice to leave they have chosen to stay and with three young children I think very foolish personally
Obviously if you’re in hospital, or no car and no friends to help then it’s tragic but to choose to ‘ hunker down’ is madness

Aveline, my guess is that if the situation is going to be as catastrophic as predicted, there’s little chance that your daughter will be able to fly into any airport in the vicinity, as the aftermath of the storm is going to be horrendous and won’t be cleared up by Friday or even next Friday, come to that, and certainly an influx of holiday makers won’t be encouraged at this time, I imagine. I don’t imagine her insurance will cover such a journey, either.

Problem is, not everyone can get away, and especially as some profiteering airlines have (allegedly) hiked up the price of air tickets meaning some people can’t afford them, and filling stations have either done the same (allegedly) or run out of fuel. So, it might be “total madness” to stay, but perhaps some have no choice. Plus, desperately ill people in hospitals, hospices, etc, will be stuck too, I imagine.

Saratoga is already flooding and Milton hasn't even hit land yet. It's the possible sea surges that are causing the most consternation. Tornados are also now forming and three have been reported so far.

Aveline

DD's flights now changed to Friday. Flying in to devastation by the sound of it. I wish she'd listen to me.

If the airport is open and planes are flying they would struggle to claim on their insurance.

We were told a hurricane was classed as an act of god extra nights accommodation, food etc were not covered. The airlines duty of care was to get us back on first available flight, hence we flew back into Heathrow but our car was parked at Gatwick.

Going there on holiday? wow- you must be so so worried. Surely they should cancel and claim on Insurance???

On BBC News showing some families with small children 'hunkering down' in the belief God will keep them safe. Just unbelievable.

DD's flights now changed to Friday. Flying in to devastation by the sound of it. I wish she'd listen to me.

I have ‘in laws’ in Tampa who have in their words ‘hunkered down’ mad as a box of frogs I d be out of there with no hesitation Total madness to stay

It actually looks very bad indeed. From CNN just now:
‘A weaker Milton won’t mean less devastation, particularly with a larger storm. Over the past 24 hours, the tropical-storm force winds expanded from 105 miles to 125 miles from its center. This means its disastrous impacts will be felt over a much larger area. Tropical-storm force winds are expected to cover the entire width of the Florida peninsula.’

I see it’s now a category 4 storm.
Bad enough of course.

Aveline

DD and family are booked for Disney Florida and due to fly out today. They're still hoping to go tomorrow. I'm appalled at this. How can they be so daft?! I'm really hoping they make a decision not to even try to go. Florida will be no place for a holiday.

Our Daughter-in-law’s parents live between here and Florida, there flight into Tampa was cancelled yesterday (due to fly tomorrow. Normally they would have flown out at the beginning of October, thank goodness they didn’t.

They have friends who have secured and sandbagged their house, garden and pool area as much as possible, now it’s just a waiting game.

I hope all who wanted to get away have 🤞🏻

We were in Florida when Hurricane Floyd hit (September 1999) we were in the Magic Kingdom (Disney) when they started making announcements that all parks were closing at 1pm. Our Disney Hotel closed all restaurants apart from one along with the shops. It was a scary 24 hours with high winds and rain, despite the main storm missing Florida and making landfall in the Carolina’s.

DD and family are booked for Disney Florida and due to fly out today. They're still hoping to go tomorrow. I'm appalled at this. How can they be so daft?! I'm really hoping they make a decision not to even try to go. Florida will be no place for a holiday.

My poor sister is in Florida, I know she is very worried.

I remember the hurricane/cyclone of 15-16 October 1987 in the UK and how devastating and frightening it was. This is something a hundred times bigger.

HettyBetty

I hope it weakens before it hits land, but that is seeming unlikely.

Reading that people refusing to evacuate are being recommended to write their name, dob and details of next of kin on their bodies in permanent marker is very sobering.

Reading that people refusing to evacuate are being recommended to write their name, dob and details of next of kin on their bodies in permanent marker is very sobering.

I can understand the reluctance some feel to leave - but they are risking the lives of the rescuers and emergency services as well as their own. A point that, I believe, was made to people living in the area.

However, I'm not going to judge - I've no idea what it's like to be in that situation.

... may their Gods, Spirits, or whatever, be with them.

So frightening, a friend in Florida has reassured me it is central and won’t reach too far south. I so hope he is correct.

I hope it weakens before it hits land, but that is seeming unlikely.

Reading that people refusing to evacuate are being recommended to write their name, dob and details of next of kin on their bodies in permanent marker is very sobering.

We were in Florida when Hurricane Katrina hit it, it was about 1am when the alarms all went off.
We only knew it would hit that night as it had changed path to go over Florida The Keys and miss Miami.
A was an event you would never forget
It completely trashed the area, the rain came down so fast it was like a White Curtain covering the area. All electrics out, trees down, but fortunately the Hotel we were in, was designed to take the hit.
It was frightening for our Children especially when the Alarms where going off.
But it was impressive how they turned the area the next morning around. Fixing the Electric supply by using School busses to ferry the electricians to the area, distribution of bottle water by late lunch time they had it all back on. The shops reopened and we ventured out.
It was something none of us would ever forget. I feel for those if they are in the Eye of the Hurricane, we were on out-skirts of it, and that was bad enough.
My thoughts with them.

Those poor people, I hope as many as possible have already left or are leaving now, because it’s going to be devastating. Unfortunately it hasn’t been downgraded, it’s now a Category 5 hurricane. If anybody wants to follow progress, there’s a live feed on CNN news.
edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/hurricane-milton-florida-10-09-24/index.html

These poor people are still trying to clear away the debris from Storm Helene. A problem for those who have left it late to evacuate, their gas stations are closing as they have no fuel left. I hope it weakens before it hits land.

It must be simply dreadful for those poor folk having to lock up and leave their homes without knowing if they will even have a home to come back to.

Even if they do all they can by boarding up windows, there are no guarantees that will be enough to withstand the onslaught.

I have noticed with previous years though that these hurricanes are often downgraded before they reach land, thereby minimising the destruction.

Let’s hope that’s the case here.

We visited Clearwater when my brother and sister in law lived in Florida. I remember driving across a very long bridge over Tampa Bay on our way to Universal.
So sad to think of that area now in the path of the hurricane, hoping and praying that people get to safety.