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TAMPA - Mayor Jane Castor held a news conference on Tuesday, providing an update on the final preparations underway by the City of Tampa before Hurricane Milton makes landfall in the Tampa Bay region on Thursday morning.
City Council Chairman Guido Maniscalco, Fire Chief Barbara Tripp, Police Chief Lee Bercaw, Tampa Hispanic Liaison Maribel Garrett, and a TECO representative joined her, each giving remarks during the news conference.
Hillsborough County issued mandatory evacuation orders for Zones A and B, including the City of Tampa, on Monday, Oct. 7. As of that day, all city buildings, including the Aquarium and The Straz Center, were closed.
Castor reiterated that anyone in an evacuation zone follows evacuation orders due to the high storm surges and heavy winds that Hurricane Milton will bring.
"This is going to be a storm of historic proportions with wind, water, and rain, Castor said.
This comes on the heels of Mayor Castor's Monday night proclamation that "You’re going to die" if you attempt to remain in an evacuation zone during Hurricane Milton during an interview with CNN’s Kaitlin Collins.
Castor said it is not too late to heed the evacuation orders, with shelters remaining open and not yet at total capacity. Castor said that the city would provide transportation to emergency shelters for anyone who needed it.
The City of Tampa announced that it successfully distributed approximately 115,000 sandbags to residents, extended free parking in city-owned parking garages, and collected more than 26,000 cubic tons of debris left behind from Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago. According to the city, the debris collection is ongoing this afternoon.
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