Hurricane Milton, currently a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, is already wreaking havoc in Cuba, with the first floods reported in Surgidero de Batabanó, in the province of Mayabeque.
According to the official site Cubadebate, the first secretary of the Communist Party in that locality, Yuniasky Crespo Baquero, announced via her Facebook account: "Watch out for Milton, water has started to enter Surgidero," alerting the population about the initial impact of the powerful storm.
In recent hours, the island's Meteorology Institute (Insmet) had warned about the increase in sustained wind intensity, which today will reach between 25 and 40 kilometers per hour, with gusts of up to 50 kilometers per hour in areas like Pinar del Río, where conditions are expected to worsen by late afternoon.
Authorities also anticipate wave action on the southern coast of the western region, which will intensify during the early hours of Tuesday, especially in the south of the Isle of Youth and Pinar del Río, where swells are expected.
The coastal flooding has already begun in the provinces from Pinar to Mayabeque, and it will extend to the northwestern coast, including the Malecón in Havana, starting on Wednesday.
Residents of the affected areas should stay alert to the changing weather conditions and follow the recommendations of the authorities to ensure their safety.
Hurricane Milton continues its advance through the Gulf of Mexico towards Florida, United States, where Monday's rains flooded some areas of Hialeah, specifically the Holiday Acres trailer park, located at 14th Avenue and 25th Street in the western part of the city.
The situation that may arise after Milton is expected to make landfall on Wednesday afternoon or evening worries residents in that area who, although they suffer from recurring floods, always fear the worst.
Milton remains a hurricane of great intensity and is expected to grow in size as it approaches the west coast of Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in its latest bulletin released this Tuesday.
"Today is the last full day for Florida residents to prepare their homes and families and, if necessary, evacuate according to local authorities' instructions," warned the U.S. meteorological entity.
Among the changes in bulletin 14 from the NHC is that the storm surge warning has been extended southward along the east coast of Florida to Port Canaveral.
There is also a tropical storm warning issued for the northwest Bahamas, including Grand Bahama, the Abacos, and Bimini.
Dangerous increases in sea level between 2 and 15 feet are expected in various areas of the Florida coast, along with large destructive waves.
Rainfall: Accumulations of between 5 and 12 inches are expected in central and northern Florida, with localized totals of up to 18 inches, which may lead to dangerous flash flooding and urban flooding.
Winds: Hurricane conditions are expected in Florida from Wednesday afternoon until Thursday morning.
Riptides: The swells generated by Milton will affect a large part of the Gulf coast, with potentially deadly waves and currents. The main recommendation is to follow evacuation instructions and stay informed through your local National Weather Service office or the products issued by your national weather service.
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