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After Helen... Florida prepares for a new hurricane

 

About two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern US state of Florida, a new hurricane is making its way to the state, while several other US states are still counting their losses and trying to recover from the previous storm. Hurricane Milton is expected to hit Florida mid-week. Milton is currently classified as a Category 1 hurricane (on a scale of five), but it will become a Category 3 hurricane on Monday.

A new hurricane is heading towards the US state of Florida, which is still trying to overcome the losses of the "life-threatening" Hurricane Helen that hit it two weeks ago, before moving on to several other states in the American southeast. Milton is expected to hit the state in the middle of this week, while the federal government has warned that it will experience financial distress that will affect its ability to respond to natural disasters that hit the country.

Hurricane Milton, which is located in the Gulf of Mexico, is considered a Category 1 hurricane (out of 5). It is expected to become a "major hurricane" (Category 3 and above) on Monday, before reaching the west coast of Florida in the middle of the week, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

These forecasts issued by the agency raise concerns in Florida, as well as in the southeastern United States, much of which was destroyed by the passage of Hurricane Helen.

Rescue efforts are still underway to help many victims of this hurricane, the deadliest in the United States since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Hurricane Helen also hit the states of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, causing historic flooding and killing at least 226 people.

The US National Weather Service (NOAA) warned in late May that the hurricane season, which runs from early June to late November, will be exceptional this year, with the possibility of four to seven Category 3 hurricanes or more.

Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Response Agency (FEMA), reassured critics on Sunday, saying "we are fully prepared" to deal with Hurricane Milton.

"We started preparing for this a few days ago. We will deploy resources to meet the needs" of residents, she said that teams are already on the scene.

On Sunday, President Joe Biden called on "all Floridians to listen to their local officials and prepare accordingly."

The president renewed his commitment to support the affected areas in the southeastern United States, announcing in a statement the deployment of 500 additional soldiers to North Carolina, the state most affected by Hurricane Helene (at least 118 dead). 

A total of 1,500 soldiers have been mobilized, in addition to thousands of emergency workers and National Guard members. 

In the face of the threat posed by Milton, Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis extended the state of emergency to include several counties.