THIS is the moment a deadly alligator jumped out of Hurricane Milton floodwater and attacked a car – leaving the driver shocked.
Wildlife experts warned of the deadly creatures being carried for miles by floodwaters just hours before the storm made landfall.
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A North Fort Myers resident captured video of an alligator emerging from floodwaters during Hurricane Milton. Credit: NBC
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The driver opened their car door and the alligator could be seen biting the tire and sidewall Credit: NBC
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Another Lakeland resident had a surprise visit from a deadly alligator that arrived on their doorstepCredit: BAY news 9
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Broken poles blown down by strong winds
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A tornado forms in Southeast Florida hours before Hurricane Milton makes landfallCredit: National Weather Service Miami-South Florida
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Florida is battered by “catastrophic” flooding and 120 mph winds as the deadly hurricane sweeps through the state.
More than two million homes and business premises were left without electricity.
At least 125 homes were destroyed after Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s grim warning that the homes would be turned into “coffins.”
Amidst the chaos, a deadly alligator was spotted attacking a car after it was swept away by floodwaters.
Horror footage captured by a motorist shows the beast emerging from the water and attacking his car in the driveway.
The alligator can be seen biting the car’s tire and side panels after the driver opens the door.
A shocked North Fort Myers resident can be heard saying, “Oh shit, that was a big gator!”
Another Lakeland resident had a surprise visit from a deadly alligator that arrived on their doorstep.
As Milton continues to wreak havoc across Florida, saltwater alligators and other deadly reptiles may be flushed into areas populated by civilians.
Residents are urged not to wade through floodwaters – especially at night.
Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida as Cat 3 storm spawns tornadoes with millions at risk
Christopher Gillette, who runs an animal sanctuary in Putnam County, northern Florida, issued a warning on his Instagram profile about the deadly beasts.
Sharing images of his Bellowing Acres refuge preparing for Hurricane Milton, Gillette urged Floridians to be vigilant
“There will be many distressed animals on the move, and they are trying to weather the storm,” he wrote.
Gillette warned that alligators pose a particular threat because they can hold their breath for up to six hours.
In September 2020, an alligator was filmed swimming in an Alabama street after Hurricane Sally.
While emergency alligator warnings were issued in August 2021 during Hurricane Ida, shocking images showed the beasts in people’s backyards and swimming through floodwaters in Louisiana.
It comes after the hurricane triggered 126 tornado warnings in Florida – the most ever in a single day.
Millions of terrified residents fled the state after President Joe Biden warned that Milton would be “one of the most destructive hurricanes of the century.”
It comes as…
Local officials in St. Lucie County confirmed two deaths and several were rushed to hospital after the hurricane spawned at least 19 powerful tornadoes.
But after days of warnings of apocalyptic-style destruction, the hurricane appears to be weaker than expected after twice being a Category 5.
Milton barreled into Florida as a Category 3 storm and was downgraded to a Category 2 storm about 90 minutes after landfall.
Harrowing videos circulating on social media show dozens of abandoned communities, many still in ruins after Hurricane Helena struck two weeks ago.
In Gulfport, police drove slowly through a rubble-strewn neighborhood, playing a loudspeaker video informing residents of the mandatory evacuation, according to video by X reporter Brian Entin.
Mandatory evacuations are in effect for 13 Florida counties, including Sarasota, Hillsborough and Volusia.
Aerial images showed the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 packed with bumper-to-bumper traffic as hundreds of terrified residents fled their homes to seek shelter.
Meanwhile, dramatic footage showed the moment a devastating hurricane knocked the entire roof off Tampa Bay Ray Stadium.
The stadium was used as a shelter for emergency services.
It is understood no one was injured at the scene – despite at least 13 people being on site when the roof collapsed.
In the days leading up to the storm’s arrival, millions across West and Central Florida stocked their vehicles with essentials and personal belongings, driving north or south of Milton’s terrifying path.
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Strong winds blew the roof off Tropicana Field
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Debris covers the ground near a crane that fell on a building along 1st Avenue South in St. Petersburg Credits: AP
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The tornado took the roof off the house
Storm surge forecasts call for 10 to 15 feet of water along with destructive waves driven by hurricane-force winds.
Just before the hurricane made landfall, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged, “You need to shelter in place and just shelter.”
He added: “Unfortunately, there will be deaths.
“I don’t think there’s any way around it.”
Milton is forecast to maintain hurricane intensity as it crosses Florida later Thursday morning, but is likely to gradually lose tropical characteristics and slowly weaken as it moves into the Atlantic.
In the state that was already hit by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago, as many as two million people were ordered to evacuate, and millions more live in the predicted path of the storm.
Much of the southern US experienced the deadly force of Hurricane Helena as it cut a swath of destruction through Florida and several other states.
Both storms are expected to cause billions of dollars in damage.
‘SIGNIFICANT CHANGE OF THE COAST’
Scientists from the US Geological Survey fear that Milton could completely change the west coast of Florida forever.
“The importance of the coastal change forecast for Milton’s impact on Florida’s west coast cannot be overstated because I believe communities are more vulnerable to the impacts of this storm due to the erosion that occurred more recently than Helena,” said Kara Doran, a USGS scientist.
“Our initial analysis of images collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after Helena shows that most of the West Coast suffered excessive washing or inundation and complete dune erosion, so that these protective dunes are no longer in place for many locations.”
Experts predict that Milton’s ferocious storm surge could cause erosion and overwash of 95% to 100% of Florida’s west coast beaches.
Excessive flushing occurs when the water level reaches higher than the top of the dunes.
When a beach is flooded, sand can be pushed and deposited inland, causing significant changes to coastal landscapes and blocking roadways, according to the USGS.
Florida is still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helena in late September, which left more than 220 dead in the southeastern United States.
What is a hurricane and how does it form?
A HURRICANE is another name for a tropical cyclone – a powerful storm that forms over warm ocean waters near the equator.
Those that form in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific are called hurricanes, while those in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean are called typhoons or cyclones.
North of the equator they spin counterclockwise due to the Earth’s rotation, however, in the southern hemisphere they spin in the opposite direction.
Cyclones are like huge weather engines powered by water vapor evaporating from the sea.
Warm, moist air rises away from the surface, creating a low-pressure system that sucks in air from surrounding areas—which in turn warms the ocean.
As the vapor rises, it cools and condenses into swirling bands of cumulonimbus storm clouds.
The system grows and spins faster, sucking in more air and feeding on the energy of seawater heated by the sun.
A calm “eye” of the storm forms in the center where cooled air sinks toward the ultra-low pressure zone below, surrounded by spiraling winds of rising warm air.
The faster the wind, the lower the air pressure in the center, and the storm gets stronger and stronger.
Tropical cyclones usually weaken when they make landfall because they are no longer fed by evaporation from warm seas.
But they often move far inland – dumping huge amounts of rain and causing devastating wind damage – before the “fuel” runs out and the storm ends.
Hurricanes can also cause storm surges when low air pressure raises sea levels higher than normal, flooding low-lying coasts.
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Amazing satellite images show Hurricane Milton before it reaches Florida
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Astronaut Matthew Dominick’s photo shows Hurricane Milton from the International Space StationCredit: AP
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education