Marco Island, a barrier island off southwest Florida, is below a compulsory evacuation forward of Hurricane Milton’s anticipated landfall late Wednesday.
Although not everybody has evacuated.
A Chevron station on Collier Boulevard remained open however was boarded up in preparation for Hurricane Milton, Oct. 8, 2024, in Marco Island, Fla.
J. Kyle Foster/Naples Each day Information through USA In the present day
Michael Sean Comerford, 65, advised ABC Information he determined to remain and watch his mother and father’ rental on the twenty third ground of a constructing whereas they evacuated to Naples, the place his sister lives.
“I am ready,” he mentioned Wednesday. “The island is closed. I’ve meals and water for the subsequent two days.”
Comerford mentioned he isn’t the one one who stayed behind within the constructing, which he mentioned is predicted to undergo an influence outage within the storm.
“I really feel like I will survive it,” he mentioned. “We’re not going to get the worst of it, however it may be uncomfortable, given that there is going to be energy outages and it will be sizzling and darkish.”
Michael Sean Comerford speaks with ABC Information, Oct. 9, 2024.
ABC Information
Comerford mentioned he needed to doc what he sees for a e-book he is writing about local weather change, through which he talks to individuals on the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts.
Milton is predicted to make landfall on Florida’s west coast Wednesday night time, possible as a Class 3 hurricane.
The storm is forecast to make landfall farther north of Marco Island, although Comerford mentioned there may be nonetheless the “concern of the unknown.”
“If it takes a flip right here this fashion, I do not know what might occur,” he mentioned. “I simply do not know. We’re getting all kinds of alarming warnings, however I feel they’re directed on the individuals north of us.”
Comerford mentioned he’s getting ready himself for “dramatic” storm surge. Marco Island might see 5 to eight ft, in line with forecasts.
“It’ll be not insubstantial right here,” he mentioned. “The entire island might go underwater.”
ABC Information’ Mark Guarino contributed to this report.
