**Florida Braces for Potentially Devastating Hurricane Milton Amid Ongoing Recovery from Helene**

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — As Florida continues to recover from the recent impact of Hurricane Helene, the state now faces the imminent threat of a new major storm. State emergency officials are preparing for the potential evacuation of over 6 million residents in anticipation of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall along Florida's western coast by midweek.

Governor Ron DeSantis, speaking from the Florida Emergency Operations Center on Sunday, highlighted the urgency of clearing debris left by Hurricane Helene, which struck just 10 days ago. The National Weather Service forecasts that Tropical Storm Milton will intensify into a hurricane before it makes landfall, posing serious threats of deadly coastal flooding, high winds, and heavy rain.

Milton could bring significant coastal flooding, potentially leaving Tampa Bay under 10 feet of water. This would impact a heavily populated area of the state directly, a much more concerning scenario than Helene's impact on the sparsely populated Big Bend region. Gov. DeSantis emphasized that a major hurricane striking Tampa Bay would be one of the state's most challenging situations due to the area's vulnerability.

Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie anticipates an evacuation effort comparable to that of Hurricane Irma in 2017, which saw over 6.8 million people evacuated. "I have the state emergency response team preparing for the largest evacuation that we have seen - most likely - since 2017's Hurricane Irma," Guthrie stated.

Despite some uncertainties in the storm's development, the National Hurricane Center reports growing confidence that a powerful hurricane will pose life-threatening hazards along Florida's west coast. "Residents there should closely monitor this system and listen to local officials," a report from the center stated.

The lingering effects of Hurricane Helene have already placed a significant strain on recovery resources. President Joe Biden directed FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to prioritize recovery efforts in North Carolina, but Criswell has been coordinating with Florida officials to pool additional resources as Milton approaches.

Governor DeSantis has signed an executive order to keep debris collection sites open 24 hours a day to expedite the cleanup process. This order initially included 41 counties but has been extended to cover an additional 10 counties as of Sunday.

Complicating the situation further, many debris removal teams contracted by Florida have moved to North Carolina to assist with recovery there. Guthrie warned that contractors who left Florida prematurely could be barred from future work. Additionally, state crews deployed to North Carolina are being recalled ahead of Milton's expected landfall.

Forecasts suggest that Milton could make landfall in Madeira Beach, Pinellas County, an area already affected by flooding caused by Helene. Governor DeSantis stressed that the western side of Florida faces the potential for catastrophic flooding, underscoring the urgency and scale of the preparations underway.