Uninvited Guest

It is frustrating to have two cousins visiting us within 15 days no matter how hospitable Florida is! It is a most inviting state with so many migrating on a regular basis from up North to enjoy the Sunshine state. However, this hurricane season is always scary but this year was particularly horrible due to frequent hurricanes forming in the Gulf of Mexico. Milton formed as a category 1 hurricane and within a few hours, became category 5 hurricane reaching 180 miles per hour.

It traveled menacingly in the Gulf of Mexico picking up the warm waters where the sea water temperature is at least 85 degrees. We have to thank the cold wind shear that was moving from North east towards South east that cooled the hurricane down reducing the intensity of this to 120 miles an hour by the time it made a landfall over Florida.

Despite the best estimates of sphagetti models made by European and American meteorologists, it is always difficult to exactly pinpoint the place where Milton was to make a landfall but they generally predicted the direction in which it was going to move. It took all the turns predicted by the meteorologists but in some cases earlier or later moving the possible landfall place predicted by them. When it took the last turn, it moved the direction a bit south resulting in making a landfall 50 miles away from Tampa Bay area. Tampa Bay area is a complicated Bay area with back waters surrounding Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater area and it escaped direct hit for nearly 100 years. This one was coming directly into the Bay area until a day before, making meteorologists warn Tampa Bay area with dire consequences as the water surge could exceed 15 feet level never reached before.

The thin eye wall was replaced by reformatting of the wall and expanded size of the hurricane Milton. Even though the eye went towards Sarasota and Bradenton, Tampa Bay area got most of the backend of the circulating wind still having a water surge of about 10 feet besides 12 inches of rain in one day. Two hurricanes in a row in two weeks created a havoc in this part of the world. Those who got their house flooded by hurricane Helene left their belongings outside to be picked as trash and before the government could pick up the trash, Milton came picking up all trash itself.

We got power back within 16 hours, but most houses in our area are without power until now and a lot in Tampa area is expected to get power only next Thursday. So many fallen trees and power lines with most traffic lights not working. Many houses are under water even after 3 days. The power of such natural disasters can't be planned or measured accurately.

Governor of Florida mobilized 50,000 personnel for search and rescue, restoration of utilities, control of flooding, law and order and many more. I am hoping the state will begin to restore normalcy within a week. This is the first time insurance companies have opened offices in the affected areas to handle insurance claims.

 

Dear Hari Sir,

Thank you for your kind message. So many houses are still under water and the power restoration is ongoing for many areas.

 

Dear SLN Sir,

You are right about protecing the life is the top priority and that is why Zone A, B & C were evacuated ahead of the hurricane. Still it is painful for them to see their houses damaged in the wind or flooded with water. It is really satisfying to see the insurance companies opening offices on site to guide the residents about how to make the claim.