This could be the worst storm in 100 years!

On October 8th (local time), US President Joe Biden announced the cancellation of his previously scheduled trips to Germany and Angola this week, in order to stay and monitor the developments of Hurricane Milton.

President Joe Biden speaks about the federal government 's response to Hurricane Helene and preparations for Hurricane Milton at the White House on October 8. (Source: AP)

Biden told American reporters, "Milton could be the worst hurricane in 100 years. I just think I can't leave the United States at this point," adding that he is directing an increase in the scale and level of federal government presence in responding to the storm.

The US President has stated that he will arrange a suitable time to visit Africa and Germany during the short time remaining in his term, but the specific timeline remains unclear.

According to CNN , the German government issued a statement expressing regret over Biden's postponement of the visit, but understanding the US President's decision in light of Hurricane Milton's landfall in Florida.

Early on October 8th (US time), Hurricane Milton had weakened from a Category 5 to a Category 4 storm on the 5-category scale, when it was about 840 km southwest of Tampa, Florida. However, by the afternoon of the same day, the superstorm had intensified again as it moved towards the West Florida coast.

As of 4 PM on October 8th, Florida time (3 AM on October 9th, Vietnam time), Hurricane Milton's center was approximately 775 km southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds exceeding 260 km/h and moving at a speed of 15 km/h east-northeast.

Milton is expected to make landfall on the West Florida coast on the night of October 8th or the early morning of October 9th local time. Sea levels in many areas of Tampa Bay are forecast to rise by 3-4.5 meters, while many places will experience more than 250mm of rainfall, along with a serious risk of flash flooding.

To date, 5 million people in Florida have been urged to evacuate for their safety. More than 20 counties in the state have issued mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders.

Approximately 5,000 National Guard troops were also deployed to respond to the storm, while another 3,000 members were ready to participate in disaster relief efforts.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, Milton was an unprecedented storm, occurring in October, after the Atlantic hurricane season. Thanks to warm currents in the Gulf of Mexico, Milton experienced the third fastest intensification in Atlantic history, transforming from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours.

On October 8th, this superstorm swept through the Yucatan state of Mexico, causing some damage but to a limited extent and leaving many areas without electricity. Some roads in southern Cuba were also flooded due to the storm's effects.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bi-sieu-quai-vat-milton-cam-chan-tong-thong-my-huy-cong-du-duc-va-angola-cam-than-con-bao-co-the-toi-te-nhat-100-nam-qua-289357.html