Hurricane Milton: these are the alerts that reach cell phones in risk areas in Florida

Hurricane Milton, rated “enormously dangerous” and a Category 5, It is advancing rapidly towards the west coast of Florida, generating panic in millions of inhabitants who have already begun to receive alerts through their mobile phones.

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The alerts, issued through the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, are designed to warn of catastrophic weather situations, such as Milton, whose consequences are expected to be devastating.

Weather and public safety authorities, including the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Multiple evacuation notifications have been issued via cell phones. for people located in the most vulnerable areas.

These alerts, accompanied by vibrations and a warning sound, have created a high-tension environment as citizens try to make quick decisions in the face of uncertainty due to the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

The WEA alert system has been crucial in previous climate events in the United States, and today it is positioned as one of the main prevention and warning strategies for the arrival of Milton.

Since its creation in 2012, this system has issued more than 84,000 alerts in emergency situations and has proven to be essential in saving lives. In the case of Hurricane Milton, they are primarily being used to warn of mandatory evacuations, flood risk, and tornado information, which have already begun to form in the south of the Florida peninsula.

Currently, more than 5.5 million people are under evacuation orders, many of whom have received the warnings directly to their mobile phones. The geographic impact of the alerts is precise, allowing authorities to target specific areas. FEMA Administration has asked residents not to ignore the alerts and to evacuate as soon as possible, especially in the most affected coastal areas.

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The population has expressed its concern about the magnitude of the cyclone. From the Tampa community, Colombian Yadira Blanco, who lives in the area, told Noticias Caracol live of the anguish she is experiencing due to constant notifications. “What’s most scary is the noise of the wind and the alarms that come to your cell phone,” he commented.

Despite the warnings, she and her family have decided to stay home for the moment, although they have already taken precautionary measures in case the storm worsens: “If it escalates, we will go to the shelter (refugio)“We already have the suitcase ready.”

“The truth is, I am scared. As I just passed Helene, there is debris in the streets, of the houses that were flooded, so the fear is that that is what the wind carries and hits the houses, like whirlpools,” he added.

“My brother-in-law says the windows can withstand 100 miles of wind.”there is a part of the house that is protected by double walls. We are going to take out the cars and leave them in front of the garage to take refuge there,” he concluded. Like this testimony, thousands of Florida residents face difficult decisions while the warnings do not stop ringing.

AFP

Authorities have insisted that this is one of the most dangerous hurricanes in decades. The evacuations, which have already begun since last week, have seen long lines of vehicles trying to leave the danger zone. For the most part, these people received the notification directly on their cell phones, which allowed many to leave the area with enough time.

This system is capable of sending messages to a specific location, which prevents people outside the risk area from receiving unnecessary notifications. The level of precision has been key to ensuring that alerts reach only those in greatest danger, as confirmed by the case of Tampa, one of the regions that will face the direct impact of Milton.

As the hurricane approaches, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and President Joe Biden They have made urgent calls to the population to evacuate immediately. “This could be the worst natural disaster that Florida has faced in a century,” said the president. at a press conference. Local and state authorities continue to send alerts urging residents to seek safe shelter.

The next few hours will be decisive, and notifications on mobile phones will continue to be the main link between authority and citizens, a lifeline in the midst of chaos.

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