“Storm of historic proportions”: Mayor Castor delivers final words before Hurricane Milton

TAMPA – mayor Jane Castor held a press conference on Tuesday to provide an overview of the latest ongoing preparations City of Tampa before Hurricane Milton makes landfall in the Tampa Bay area Thursday morning.

City Council President Guido Maniscalco, Fire Chief Barbara Tripp, Police Chief Lee Bercaw, Tampa Hispanic Liaison Maribel Garrett and a TECO representative joined her and each delivered remarks during the press conference.

READ MORE: Hurricane Milton tracker: Category 4 storm barreling toward Florida, landfall expected as a “dangerous” storm

Hillsborough County issued mandatory evacuation orders for Zones A and B, including the city of Tampa, on Monday, October 7. As of that day, all of the city's buildings, including the aquarium and the Straz Center, were closed.

Castor reiterated that anyone in an evacuation zone must follow evacuation orders due to the high storm surge and strong winds Hurricane Milton will bring.

“This will be a storm of historic proportions with wind, water and rain,” Castor said.

This follows Mayor Castor's statement Monday night that “you will die” if you try to stay in an evacuation zone during Hurricane Milton during an interview with CNN's Kaitlin Collins.

Castor said it is not too late to follow evacuation orders as shelters remain open and are not yet at full capacity. Castor said the city would provide transportation to shelters for anyone who needed it.

The city of Tampa said it has successfully distributed approximately 115,000 copies Sandbags to residents, expanded Free parking in municipal parking garagesand collected more than 26,000 cubic tons debris left behind by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago. According to the city, debris collection will continue this afternoon.

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