Hurricane Milton downgraded to category 1: at least 10 casualties in Florida, 3 million people without power

According to data from the National Hurricane Center, the size of the storm has doubled since 8 October. As it approached the coast, the winds (LIVE VIDEO) of the hurricane extended more than 400 kilometres from the centre, compared to 170 kilometres twenty-four hours earlier. 

President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris are receiving ongoing updates (LIVE VIDEO) on the Administration's life-saving preparations to deal with the hurricane, as well as the latest updates on forecasts and expected impacts to the State of Florida.

Local authorities in Florida were also mobilised, and until the last moment they continued to urge the population in the areas expected to be affected by Milton to evacuate their homes. Jodie Fiske, director of public safety for Manatee County, told CNN that as of today morning, 9 October, about 5,000 residents are in shelters in the county. Nine shelters are currently open, more will be activated, while the current capacity of the shelters is about 50 per cent. "The storm is forecast to move off the east coast of Florida into the western Atlantic Ocean on Thursday afternoon," the National Hurricane Center (Nhc) said.

Across Florida, universities and colleges have closed their campuses. Tampa General Hospital is determined to remain open despite the hurricane and has taken measures to protect its facilities, including erecting a flood barrier around the campus on Davis Island. The flood barrier, known as the AquaFence, is impermeable to water and is built to withstand storm surges up to 15 feet above sea level, the hospital said in a statement. The fence successfully protected the facility from floodwaters from Hurricane Helene about a fortnight ago.

To understand the danger of Milton, suffice it to say that during a particularly poignant NBC 6 broadcast, a well-known network meteorologist was moved to tears as he attempted to describe the enormity of the hurricane and the terrifying context in which it was created. In a clip widely shared on social media, he can be seen explaining that it is an 'incredible, incredible hurricane'. His voice - Sky News reports - cracks as he details some of the weather data associated with the storm. 'I apologise,' he tells viewers as he tries to compose himself: 'It's just horrible. The seas are incredibly, incredibly warm. You know what's causing it, I don't need to tell you: global warming, climate change, which is leading to this and becoming a growing threat,' he explains in a broken voice.

According to the American media, Hurricane Milton could become an 'October surprise' in the US elections, at a time when the campaign is at a critical stage. Its arrival on the Florida coast, less than a month before election day, could indeed have significant consequences not only for the affected population, but also for political dynamics, particularly in the confrontation between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. With Hurricane Helene already causing devastation in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, the federal government is under pressure to better manage the emergency response. The leadership of Biden and Harris has been tested and with Milton it could be even more so.

It is no coincidence that Biden postponed the crucial NATO summit in Ramstein with the countries supporting Ukraine in order to focus on the hurricane response. Managing natural disasters can prove to be a decisive political test. As in the case of Obama during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, when the federal government's prompt response helped him consolidate his electoral advantage, Harris could play the same card. However, he faces fierce competition: Trump and other Republicans are ready to exploit any shortcomings or delays in the hurricane response to criticise the administration. Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, in a commentary published in the Wall Street Journal, has already accused Biden and Harris of mismanagement of relief efforts and bureaucratic sluggishness.