'You are going to die': Tampa mayor warns against ignoring Milton evacuation orders

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – As the Gulf Coast prepares for another strong hurricane, officials in Tampa Bay, Florida, are urging residents to take evacuation orders seriously, especially if they live near the coast.

Hurricane Milton poses a threat that likely no one in the region has ever seen in their lifetimes, as the last time the Tampa area was hit by the eye of a major hurricane was on Oct. 25, 1921. The hurricane had no official name but is known locally as the Tarpon Springs storm for the seaside town where it came ashore.

With residents preparing for whatever Milton brings, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor sat down with CNN on Monday to discuss what's at risk for residents who don't heed evacuation orders.

"The number one message, as it has been for several days now, is that you need to prepare. Do whatever you need to do and then get out of the evacuation zones, which now are evacuation zones A and B, and as we all have heard so many times now, you hide from the wind and run from the water, and we are talking about right now, the possibility of a direct hit with 10- to 12-foot tidal surge. Put that in perspective, Hurricane Helene, which just left the Tampa Bay area a week ago, there was 6-foot storm surge and that was literally devastating to so many in our coastal areas," Castor said during her interview with CNN.

When asked about what she would say to residents who've ridden out past hurricanes and are hesitant about evacuating for Milton, Castor gave a grave warning.

"Helene was a wake-up call. This is literally catastrophic, and I can say without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die," Castor warned.

She went on to explain that she's never given that warning before, but given the unprecedented circumstances of Milton and the threat of a direct hit to the Tampa Bay area, the warning could save the lives of residents who are on the fence about staying or leaving.

Helene roared ashore as a Category 4 hurricane in the Big Bend region on Sept. 26. The deadly hurricane brought catastrophic damage from the system's strong wind, powerful rain and storm surge.

The hurricane caused more than 200 deaths across several states, including 25 in Florida and at least 14 in the Tampa Bay area.

Hurricane Milton

With emotions heightened from Helene, many residents on the Gulf Coast have followed evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall, which is forecast to be somewhat near the Tampa Bay region.

On Monday, traffic was bumper-to-bumper as residents in evacuation zones left their homes after Milton was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton was barreling toward the Sunshine State on Tuesday as a Category 4 hurricane. As of 11 a.m., Milton was located about 520 miles southwest of Tampa and is expected to take a turn toward the northeast Tuesday and Wednesday.

Milton's maximum sustained winds are 150 mph.

If you are considering evacuating, or live in an evacuation zone, you still have time to leave. To find shelters open near you, visit here. If you don't know what your evacuation zone is, click here.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.