‘You’re Gonna Die,’ Tampa Mayor Jane Castor Tells Locals During CNN Hurricane Milton Broadcast

October 9, 2024, 2:16pm

As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warns residents about the impending devastation. Photo Credit: CNN

As Florida braces for Hurricane Milton, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has a strong warning for locals. During an appearance on CNN, Mayor Castor told residents of her city who reside in evacuation zones that “you are going to die” if they attempt to ride out the massive storm.

“I can say this without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die,” the mayor said, going on to note that the storm surge for Milton “is not survivable,” should it come in as predicted. She also stated that she expects the aftermath to be “catastrophic.”

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“This is something that I have never seen in my life,” Castor told CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins. “And I can tell you that anyone who was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area has never seen anything like this before. People need to get out.”

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Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall late Wednesday, Oct. 9 or early Thursday, Oct. 10, PEOPLE reports. Castor has declared a state of emergency for her city, while Hillsborough County officials have issued mandatory evacuation orders for Zones A and B, as well as for residents who live in manufactured housing or mobile homes.

Additionally, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency in dozens of counties, and recently delivered a warning to residents about Hurricane Milton, also noting that storm’s path could change.

“The storm has moved a little bit slower than initially projected. But remember, do not get wedded to the cone,” he explained during a press conference. “Do not get wedded to where the projected landfall is … You could have a wobble either way.”

DeSantis later urged anyone in the path of the storm to “make the decisions necessary to keep yourself and your family safe.”

“We urge you to execute your plan. Now,” the governor stated. “Let’s prepare for the worst, and let’s pray that we get a weakening and hope for the least amount of damage is possible, but we must be prepared for a major, major impact to the west coast of Florida.”