Police warn those not evacuating in Milton: ‘Write down your name to identify bodies’

With Hurricane Milton imminent and potentially devastating consequences in Florida , United States , authorities have recommended that residents evacuate at risk areas, but many residents have chosen to remain in their homes.

 This decision has led local authorities to send a strong message about the seriousness of the situation.

During a recent broadcast by broadcaster Enrique Santos, an interview was conducted with a Tampa police officer , who addressed options for those who choose not to evacuate.

The officer did not hesitate to express her concern, suggesting that those who decide to stay write their name and date of birth on their skin , so that their bodies can be identified.

This recommendation, while shocking, reflects the stark reality of rescue efforts that could be complicated by the storm.

Announcer Santos supported the warning, recalling that Hurricane Helene resulted in more than two hundred deaths and hundreds missing.

In his speech, he also highlighted that there are critical moments when emergency teams cannot access affected areas, which further aggravates the situation.

“ It is a matter of life or death . If you live in an evacuation zone, it is essential to follow the instructions of the authorities,” Santos stressed.

More than 30,000 people evacuated

More than 30,000 people are sheltering in 149 shelters across Florida on Wednesday in anticipation of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall tonight on the central west coast of the U.S. state, where tornadoes and tropical storm-force winds have already been reported.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that open shelters have the capacity to accommodate more than 200,000 people and once again urged residents in mandatory evacuation zones to do so urgently.

“There’s a high likelihood that this hurricane is going to have a huge impact and cause a lot of damage,” DeSantis warned, noting that the best option for threatened communities is to “head to a local shelter, where there’s still plenty of capacity,” rather than hitting the road.

US President Joe Biden also urged Florida residents on Wednesday to take shelter from the onset of Hurricane Milton: “It’s literally a matter of life or death,” he said.

The Democratic president said from the White House that in the last week his team “has done everything possible” to be prepared for when Milton makes landfall, which has dropped to Category 4, with maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (130 miles).

Evacuations began this week with images of thousands of vehicles leaving the Tampa area and causing traffic jams on the state’s highways, which has eliminated tolls to facilitate exit from dangerous areas, where coastal waters are expected to rise up to four meters.

Early this afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported the first tropical storm-force winds moving inland along the west coast of Florida and warned of the danger of tornadoes.

In fact, American media such as NBC News show images of large tornadoes moving through central and southern Florida.