Hurricane Milton churned Wednesday toward a potentially catastrophic collision along the west coast of Florida, where some residents insisted they would stay after millions were ordered to evacuate and officials warned that those who stayed behind could die.

The Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3.3 million people, faced the possibility of widespread destruction after avoiding direct hits from major hurricanes for more than a century, Associated Press reported. 

The National Hurricane Center predicted Milton, a monstrous Category 5 hurricane during much of its approach, would likely weaken but remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall late Wednesday.

Milton was centered early Wednesday about 580 kilometers southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h, the National Hurricane Center reported.

Forecasters predicted the storm will retain hurricane strength as it crosses central Florida on Thursday on a path east toward the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane’s precise track remained uncertain, as forecasters Tuesday evening nudged its projected path slightly south of Tampa.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warned residents to leave the city and said those who stayed behind could face death. 

Two major concerns had authorities worried early Wednesday. One was the expected storm surge of 4.5 meters, which would be deep enough to swallow an entire house.

Secondly, piles of debris in the streets from Hurricane Helene two weeks ago was another major worry for authorities who said the debris could become deadly projectiles in the winds.                   

Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders across 11 Florida counties with a combined population of about 5.9 million people, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

Officials have warned that anyone staying behind must fend for themselves, as first responders are not expected to risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm.

A state of emergency has been declared in Florida ahead of Milton, which is forecast to plow into the western peninsula on Wednesday as a major hurricane

This comes just days after the devastating Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage to the region earlier this month.

Milton, another significant tropical threat to the US, is lurking in the Gulf of Mexico, AccuWeather experts have reported.

These weather experts say impacts ranging from a devastating storm surge to major flooding from rain, damaging wind gusts, pounding surf and tornadoes are expected in Florida.

Because of the risk, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency and is urging that preparations to protect life and property should begin immediately.

“This is an unusual and extremely concerning forecast track for a hurricane approaching the Tampa Bay area,” warned AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter.

“Milton could rapidly intensify into a major hurricane with extreme impacts. This hurricane could create a life-threatening storm surge,” he said.

AccuWeather meteorologists reported Monday that before Milton moves ashore in Florida, it will have ample time to rapidly strengthen over the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. T

"The ocean heat content is at the highest level on record for this time of year in the Gulf, despite the recent passage of Helene," added AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva.

"The deep, warm waters can act like rocket fuel for Milton, allowing for rapid intensification."

The threat posed by heavy rain will precede Milton's arrival by several days. Heavy rain was already falling over the Florida peninsula this weekend, and will continue through the early part of the week, well ahead of impacts from wind and storm surge.

Milton is the thirteenth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricanes Kirk and Leslie were also churning across the open Atlantic as of late this weekend, though neither pose an immediate, direct threat to land.

Rescuers in Nepal searched Tuesday for two dozen people still missing and tried to recover the bodies of those killed in weekend flooding and landslides that left more than 200 dead.

The disaster came just ahead of the country’s biggest festival Dasain, which begins on Thursday, and roads were busier than usual as people returned home to celebrate with loved ones. The damage to roads is likely to hamper travel plans, Associated Press reported.

The deaths climbed to 224 and the injured to 158 while rescue efforts were underway to look for 24 others, said the government’s chief secretary Eak Narayan Aryal on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli’s administration has been heavily criticized for its slow response to the crisis, particularly after a landslide hit several vehicles stranded for hours just 16 kilometers from the capital, Kathmandu, killing about three dozen people.

Oli told reporters the government would continue to look for those missing and help the thousands impacted.

As the weather improved, workers started clearing the highways by the mountains after being blocked by landslides. Sections of several other highways next to raging rivers were washed away and repairing them is expected to require time and effort.

Of the 37 highways damaged, only nine have so far reopened for traffic.

The flooding was caused by heavy rain which arrived at the end of Nepal’s monsoon season that usually begins in June and ends by mid-September. Experts have attributed Nepal’s changing rain pattern to climate change.