TAMPA (Reuters) - An expanding Hurricane Milton churned toward Florida's battered Gulf Coast on Tuesday, where more than 1 million people were ordered to evacuate before the monster storm slams the Tampa Bay area.
The hurricane, which rapidly intensified on Monday into one of the area's most powerful on record, was forecast to make landfall on Wednesday, threatening a stretch of Florida's densely populated west coast that is still reeling from the devastating Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago.
A direct hit on the bay would be the first since 1921, when the now-sprawling Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area was a relative backwater.
"Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida," the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
The center forecast storm surges of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) along coastline north and south of Tampa Bay, likely swamping low-lying areas. Forecasts of five to 10 inches (127 to 254 mm) or more of rainfall threatened flash flooding farther inland.
Some of the area's 3 million residents rushed to dispose of mounds of debris left by Helene before heeding the evacuation orders.
Musician John O'Leary, 38, was securing his Tampa townhouse and packing for a road trip with his girlfriend to New Port Richey, about 40 miles (64 km) north. He was worried about his baby grand piano, which he had to leave behind.
They plan to stay with friends who have a home on high ground but will keep an eye on the storm's path and may head farther north.