Hurricane Milton: What is happening now?

Where is the hurricane now?

The eye of Milton is now nearing Cape Canaveral on the east coast of Florida, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has said in its latest update.

The agency says the storm currently has sustained winds of 83mph. A gust of 92mph has also been recorded at a weather station in the coastal town of Marineland.

The NHC says this will be its final hourly position update for Milton, because it will soon be moving offshore.

More than 70,000 in shelters

US officials have revealed that more than 70,000 people have taken refuge in government shelters overnight.

Deanne Criswell, an administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said it came after 31 counties in the state issued evacuation orders.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The wind, even though it’s decreasing, the threats are not decreasing.

“With the increased amount of rain, with the threat of flash flooding happening, you need to stay put. Don’t go out, try to make sure you’re as safe as possible.”

Eyewitness: This ‘monster’ hurricane was overwhelming – but still many people ignored ‘life or death’ warnings

It was a wind you wouldn’t mess with. Hurricane Milton roared through with a power that had Florida pinned down – it felt overwhelming and it was.  

Floridians were well warned of the “monster” that was coming their way. The population was word-perfect on the ‘life or death’ nature of it all – the wind speeds, the storm surge and the danger of historic proportions. 

In the path of the hurricane, it was a night to survive – one of fear and fate. Many people remained in situ, contrary to official advice.  

In particular parts of Florida, the guidance was that they would die, nothing less.  Why stay put in these circumstances?

Hurricane fatigue will be one factor.  This is a part of the world that knows a hurricane, has heard all the warnings and has ridden it out time after time. Why worry this time?  

Scenes of flooding, damage and early reports of fatalities will go some distance towards answering that question. Daylight and the days ahead will enable a full assessment of destruction and death. 

Of course, a large part of the population did heed the advice to evacuate and seek shelter. I was in the company of a group who sat out the storm in a building near the centre of Tampa. 

To walk a few yards into the hurricane was to feel its strength through your chest. 

Everyone took a step into the wind and, quickly, took a step back.

This was history, after all, and – without a selfie – it didn’t happen.

One reason to smile in Florida last night – one of the very few. 

‘It’s been a windy night’: British man caught in hurricane describes flooding fears

Another Briton who has been caught in Hurricane Milton spoke with media agencies.

Mark Cottrill is staying in Kissimmee, near Florida’s Walt Disney World.

“It’s been a windy night, it’s been a loud night, but it doesn’t appear to be too much damage from where I am,” he said.

“I didn’t feel too bad. We went to bed last night about 11, 12 o’clock.

“Woke up a couple of times with the noise and with the trees hitting the windows, etc. Just the leaves. And I was more worried about the water, to be honest, with the rain.

“We have an enclosed patio here at our property and the water was rising up… it was already up maybe two inches, three inches. 

“I thought ‘two more inches, and it’s going to be inside the building’. 

“But it appears to have backed off now and seems to be okay.”

Emergency services begin returning to streets after suspending operations during hurricane

Emergency services across Florida are beginning to emerge from sheltering after Milton passed over their areas.

Orlando Police Department and Orlando Fire Department both said they were “back on the road”.

Pasco County Fire Rescue also said they had fully resumed operations, while warning there would be delays.

Anxious wait for daybreak to see scale of damage

There is still some time to go until dawn in Florida, which is five hours behind UK time.

Kevin Del Orbe, from Tallahassee, has been speaking to Sky News about the anxious wait residents face to find out the extent of the damage.

He says many who fled their homes are hoping to return as soon as possible to see what has happened to their properties.

Mr Del Orbe adds: “I have a lot of family and friends that are in the direct path of the storm, they’ve lost power, some can’t get in contact with their family…

“So it’s kind of just a waiting game. We have to wait until morning and assess the damage.”

He says that while thousands of residents did comply with evacuation orders, “some people enjoy the risk that comes with these storms”.

“It is a bit of a Floridian thing to not evacuate because these storms are very common and just part of the lifestyle living in the state. But I would say it’s unwise, especially if you’re living on the coast,” he adds.

Mr Del Orbe, who works as a reporter, said the situation had been “pretty smooth” in Tallahassee and added citizens had confidence in how local officials were handling the situation.