'If you choose to stay ... you are going to die': Tampa mayor issues warning before Hurricane Milton landfall

The mayor of Tampa, Florida has issued a dire warning to the residents of the city right as Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall on Wednesday evening. The storm was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane on Monday before dropping slightly to a Category 4 on Tuesday.  

According to the New York Post, the hurricane is barreling straight for Florida out of the Gulf Coast, where the storm has been developing. It is headed east, right into the state of Florida. “If you choose to stay … you are going to die,” Mayor Jane Castor said while talking about the massive storm. 

Milton has become stronger and more deadly in its abilities as the storm is going through the area. Castor said that if residents choose to ride out the storm in their homes, that choice could prove to be fatal.  

"I can tell you right now they might have done that in others, there’s never been one like this,” Castor added. "Helene was a wakeup call, this is literally catastrophic. And I can say without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die.” 

Castor added that there is an expected tidal surge of 10 to 12 feet, Helene's surge was a mere six and was "devastating to so many in [Tampa's] coastal area," the Tampa mayor added. Milton is already the second-strongest hurricane in all Gulf hurricane history.  

On Monday evening, there were lines of cars headed out of the city after many packed their vehicles with food and supplies, leaving the store shelves bare in many areas.