A video recorded by the International Space Station shows Hurricane Milton engulfing almost the entire Gulf of Mexico and approaching the state of Florida, USA.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released a video on October 8, showcasing images of Hurricane Milton from space. The footage was captured by the camera on the International Space Station (ISS) at 9:37 AM on October 8, as the hurricane moved through the Gulf of Mexico toward Tampa, Florida.
Hurricane Milton viewed from space. (Video: NASA).
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that at 5 PM on October 8 (4 AM on October 9, Hanoi time), Hurricane Milton intensified from Category 4 to Category 5, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Previously, Milton had reached Category 5 status on the morning of October 7 but was downgraded to Category 4 on the morning of October 8.
As of 6 PM on October 8, Hurricane Milton was approximately 770 kilometers southwest of Tampa, Florida, with wind speeds around 265 km/h, moving east-northeast at a speed of over 14 km/h, according to the NHC.
The storm’s intensity may fluctuate in the next 36 hours and is expected to weaken to Category 3 before making landfall on Florida’s western coast on the night of October 9 into the early hours of October 10.
Forecast path of Hurricane Milton. (Graphic: CNN).
U.S. officials and numerous weather experts are closely monitoring the hurricane’s path and issuing serious warnings about the potential consequences it could have for the residents of Florida.
Heavy rainfall, strong winds, and a storm surge of up to three meters could threaten many residential areas, prompting Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and U.S. President Joe Biden to urge residents to evacuate, calling it a “life or death issue.”
