The strength of Hurricane Milton intensified rapidly on Monday, becoming a Category 5 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico heading towards Florida, threatening catastrophic damage in the state that is still recovering from the devastation left by Hurricane Helen.

With wind speeds reaching 285 kilometers per hour, Milton was classified as the strongest storm on the five-level hurricane intensity scale.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center predicted that the hurricane would likely hit areas near the Tampa Bay region, where more than three million people live.

Several areas in the Tampa Bay region of Florida have seen long lines for gasoline, while counties along the western coast of the state ordered evacuations in preparation for potentially catastrophic winds, rain, and wave heights of 2.4 to 3.7 meters.

Mexican authorities are taking measures on their coasts as Hurricane Milton intensifies

Milton is currently moving near the northern edge of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, including tourist attractions and shipping ports. The hurricane center said the storm could raise water levels by up to 1.8 meters.

Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for parts of Pasco County and Anna Maria Island near Tampa starting Monday, while a handful of towns requested residents in some facilities, including care institutions, to evacuate.

Florida authorities evacuate some areas due to Hurricane Milton

In the face of the threat posed by Milton, Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis extended the state of emergency he declared the previous day to include several counties on Sunday, now covering 51 out of 67 counties.

The first alerts notifying residents of Pinellas, Manatee, Pasco, Charlotte, Citrus, and Hillsborough counties in Florida about the hurricane and storms began around 5:10 PM Eastern Time through email, text messages, and phone calls, according to messages received by the Associated Press.

Residents are taking precautions to avoid damage from Hurricane Milton

The hurricane warning stated that the impacts of Milton could be "devastating to catastrophic."

Alerts warned that strong buildings may suffer complete failure of roofs and walls, and that damage could render some areas "uninhabitable for weeks or months."

In St. Petersburg, officials warned residents still clearing debris from Hurricane Helen that the flooding could be twice as severe.

The city's mayor, Ken Welch, stated, "Our community is now facing an even more challenging situation. This is a strong storm, more powerful than Hurricane Helen."

He said that if the city took a direct hit, it could take a long time to restore electricity and water services.

Welch added, "But the most important thing at this stage is saving lives. Please comply with all evacuation orders. This is an incredibly powerful storm."

Relief efforts are still underway across the southeastern United States following Hurricane Helen, which killed more than 200 people in six states. It was a Category 4 hurricane.

This hurricane was the deadliest to hit the continental United States since Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 1,400 people in 2005.