Tampa mayor warns residents they will 'die' if they don't evacuate, as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida
Business InsiderOct 02
Hurricane Milton Makes Landfall in Florida
Above: Waves crash along St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg, Florida, ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival. Image copyright: Bryan R. Smith/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Category 3 Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Fla., Wednesday night, dropping more than 10 inches of rainwater across the region and a further 12 inches in some areas. Over 3M people were left without power.
The storm, which approached the state as a Category 5 hurricane, brought 100 mph winds and 13-foot storm surges in some areas, with officials warning of continuing flash floods in central Florida. The storm is now a Category 1.
The Spin
Narrative A
Despite meteorologists having warned about storms this severe for decades, anti-science misinformation — aided by social media — continues to spread. Whether it's those who need to ride out a storm to believe in its strength or people who believe the government is controlling the storms, everyone must accept the simple truth: Burning fossil fuels leads to global warming, which causes record-breaking storms.
Narrative B
Climate alarmists are again trying to scare everyone. Deaths from natural disasters make up a fraction of what they did a century ago, and property damage has also fallen as a percentage of GDP over the last 30 years, all while more buildings are being built. Everyone would be better off if all the data was talked about rather than just the doom and gloom.