What's it like leaving Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton? (original) (raw)
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Jack O'Leary, who has lived in Florida since 2001, said this is the first time he's evacuated due to a hurricane. (Scripps News)
Millions of Floridians are seeking refuge before Hurricane Milton makes landfall this week.
Evacuation orders have been issued across the state's Gulf Coast, causing traffic jams on the state's highways and interstates.
Jack O'Leary, a Tampa resident, left for Atlanta with his family on Tuesday. He said for about the first two hours of the trip, traffic wasn't bad. However, he noted that it was bumper-to-bumper after that — adding at least two hours onto their projected travel time.
- RELATED: <Hundreds of flights canceled, Florida airports closed ahead of Hurricane Milton>
Leaving home is never an easy decision when there's an incoming storm. O'Leary, who has lived in Florida since 2001, said this is the first time he's evacuated due to a hurricane.
"We've weathered quite a few storms, but this one, I think, with it being a direct hit ... I think everyone is taking the evacuation orders to heart," he said.
Prior to leaving, O'Leary said he moved items off the floor and grabbed some important paperwork and hard drives with pictures and videos.
"Material goods are replaceable, but those memories, you know, that's what we wanted to ensure we kept," he said.
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