Hurricane Milton growing stronger as it blows toward Florida's Tampa Bay

Hurricane Milton quickly intensified on Sunday and is on track to become a major hurricane with the Tampa Bay area in its sights, putting Florida on edge and triggering evacuation orders along a coast still reeling in Helene's aftermath.

While forecast models vary widely, the most likely path suggests Milton could make landfall on Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida into the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said. That would largely spare other southeastern states ravaged by Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage from Florida into the Appalachian Mountains and a death toll that rose on Sunday to at least 130 people.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Sunday that while it remains to be seen just where Milton will strike, it is clear that Florida is going to be hit hard -- "I do not think there is any scenario where we do not have major impacts at this point."

Hurricane Milton was centred about 815 miles (1,310 kilometres)