Florida battered by rain and tornadoes as Hurricane Milton approaches

Hurricane Milton hurled rain, tornadoes and tropical storm-force winds at the US coast on Wednesday as time began to run out for residents to evacuate from the potentially catastrophic path the storm was carving toward Florida.

The National Hurricane Centre stressed that it was not certain where Milton's centre would come ashore Wednesday night because the storm's path might wobble, but the entire Tampa Bay region and points south were at grave risk. Tropical storm-force winds began lashing the coast Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier, officials issued dire warnings to flee or face grim odds of survival.

This is it, folks, said Cathie Perkins, emergency management director in Pinellas County, which sits on the peninsula that forms Tampa Bay. Those of you who were punched during Hurricane Helene, this is going to be a knockout. You need to get out, and you need to get out now.

By late afternoon, some officials said the time had passed for such efforts.

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