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Hurricane Milton escalated in intensity on Monday, becoming a Category 5 storm with potentially catastrophic effects, as it approaches Florida, which is already recovering from a major hurricane just two weeks prior.
The double hit of hurricanes has escalated the election battle, with Vice President Kamala Harris lambasting her political rivals Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis for engaging in “political gamesmanship” and spreading falsehoods about the federal government’s response to the storms.
Forecasted to slam into Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula while moving eastward, Hurricane Milton has led to evacuation orders and dire warnings about the harsh conditions expected on Florida’s western coastline.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Milton’s maximum sustained winds reached 165 miles per hour (270 kilometers per hour), slightly weaker than earlier in the day but still a powerful Category 5 storm, the highest classification.
Read also: Death Toll From Hurricane Helene Hits 227, Bodies Recovered
With Hurricane Milton on its way, communities impacted by Hurricane Helene at the end of last month hurried to clear debris that could become deadly projectiles during the new storm.
“All this stuff is just wind fodder that’s going to just be blowing down the street and hitting who knows what,” said David Levitsky, a retired homeowner on Treasure Island, in Pinellas County.
Residents on the low-lying island have been piling up debris from Helene’s flooding in their front yards for removal.
Amid the wreckage, DeSantis, a conservative known to clash with the federal government, came under fire after broadcaster NBC reported he was ignoring phone calls from Harris on the Helene recovery.
DeSantis did speak to President Joe Biden about the Milton preparations, the White House said late Monday.
