ACRE

Hurricane Milton Makes Landfall In Florida: Live Updates

PUBLICADO

12 meses atrás

10 de outubro de 2024

Por:

José Gomes - Da Amazônia para o Mundo! contato@acre.com.br

Topline

More than 2 million homes and businesses faced power outages on Wednesday night just hours after Hurricane Milton spawned multiple tornadoes and triggered flash flooding hours after making landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast— where millions have been told to evacuate as forecasters warn it could be be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record” for the west-central part of the state.

Palm trees bend in the wind after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Brandon, Florida.

AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts

12:45 a.m. EDT, Oct 10 — The National Weather Service said the center of the Hurricane is now moving inland towards Central Florida after battering the Tampa Bay area with peak wind speeds of above 100 mph on Wednesday night.

12:30 a.m. EDT, Oct 10 — Strong winds from Milton appeared to damage a portion of the roof of Tropicana Field—the Tampa Bay Rays’ home venue—although there were no reports of any injuries to people inside the stadium. According to the Associated Press, ballpark is being used as a staging site for workers who have been brought in to deal with the hurricane’s aftermath.

11:45 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — A tornado outbreak in Florida’s St. Lucie County and the East Coast resulted in multiple fatalities earlier on Wednesday, the local sheriff’s office said.

11:15 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — According to PowerOutage.US around 2.2 million customers were without power across Florida amid reports of the hurricane spawning multiple tornadoes across its path on Wednesday night.

8:30 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.

7 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — The “northern eyewall” of Milton was moving into the Tampa Bay area, with forecasters urging those in the area to “shelter in place.”

6:36 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — The National Weather Service issued an extreme wind warning for Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee counties in the Tampa Bay area as “extreme winds, associated with the eyewall of Hurricane Milton, were moving onshore,” telling those in the warning area to “Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to the safe room in your shelter.”

6 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — Hurricane-force wind gusts of 77 mph have been recorded at a WeatherFlow station at Egmont Channel at the mouth of Tampa Bay, about 15 minutes from St. Petersburg, according to the National Hurricane Center.

4 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — The NHC warned tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain had reached the western coast of Florida, and urged anyone in a tornado watch area to be ready to quickly shelter (see below).

11:30 a.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — Tampa’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge closed to all traffic as wind speeds pick up.

11:12 a.m. EDT, Oct. 9 — Waffle House announced dozens of its locations in Tampa, Fort Myers, Orlando and beyond would be closed starting Wednesday afternoon, marking Milton as a “red” on the federally recognized “Waffle House Index” (see below).

A hurricane warning is in effect for the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach at the southern tip of the state to the Suwannee River near the panhandle, for the East Coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach near Jacksonville and for most inland portions of central and north-central Florida, including Orlando.

A storm surge warning is up for the west coast of Florida from Flamingo to Yankeetown, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay and the Atlantic coast from Sebastian Inlet, Florida, to Altamaha Sound, Georgia, including the St. Johns River.

Hurricane Milton is expected to bring 6 to 12 inches of rain, with localized totals up to 18 inches, across parts of the Florida Peninsula and the Keys through Wednesday night, which could cause “life-threatening flash, urban and areal flooding,” according to the NHC.

Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.

Crucial Quote

“I’ve said many times that (if) you want to pick a fight with Mother Nature, she’s winning 100 percent of the time,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “And individuals that are in these, say you’re in a single-story home. Twelve feet is above that house. So, if you’re in it, you know, basically that’s the coffin you’re in.”

What Is Storm Surge And Where Could It Be The Worst?

Storm surge is the abnormal rise of seawater level caused by a storm. The NHC warned the combination of storm surge and the tide will cause areas that are normally dry near the coast to be flooded. From Anna Maria Island to Boca Grande, the storm surge could be nine to 13 feet above the ground. The surge is forecast to reach eight to 12 feet between Boca Grande and Bonita Beach, and could also reach those heights in Charlotte Harbor. For Tampa Bay, six to nine feet of surge is expected.

Where Have Tornado Warnings Been Issued?

Numerous tornado warnings were issued Wednesday afternoon in southern Florida and across the Interstate 95 corridor. Tornado watches are in effect for most of central and southern Florida through Wednesday night. The NHC noted a “risk of strong tornadoes” will continue through Wednesday evening.

What Have Politicians Said About Hurricane Milton?

President Joe Biden addressed the country from the White House Tuesday morning and called Hurricane Milton “a matter of life and death.” He encouraged Florida residents in the path of the storm to evacuate “now” and postponed a planned international trip to Germany and Angola “in order to oversee preparations for and the response to Hurricane Milton.” Vice President Kamala Harris and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have been in a strange he-said-she-said about the incoming storm, with Harris accusing DeSantis of not taking her calls and “playing political games” DeSantis said Harris “has no role in this” and that he’s been communicating just fine with Biden, who also said he has been in touch. Biden said he gave DeSantis his personal phone number and told him to call if there is anything the federal government can do to help. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said in an interview with CNN, “I can say without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die.” Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday afternoon told CNN even if the category of the storm changed, “that is not actually a downgrade in terms of the danger and the dangerous potential of it,” urging Floridians to not rely on the designation “to their detriment.”

How Is Travel To Florida Impacted By Hurricane Milton?

Tampa International Airport closed at 9 a.m. Tuesday with plans to reopen “as soon as it is safe” later this week and Orlando International Airport closed at 8 a.m. Wednesday. More than 1,700 flights into and out of the United States were canceled as of 8:50 a.m. on Wednesday, and another 350 were delayed. Orlando saw by far the most cancellations, with 398 flights originating there being canceled and 423 flights arriving there being canceled, followed by Tampa with about 190 canceled each way, according to Flight Aware. Major airlines have told passengers they can change their plans without paying a fare difference. Walt Disney World Resort is closing its parks beginning Wednesday morning—news that came after Goldman Sachs predicted the company is likely to take a nine-figure hit financially from the storm. Universal Resort Orlando announced Tuesday afternoon it will close at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday and remain closed Thursday. Legoland Florida Resort and SeaWorld Orlando will both be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, and Busch Gardens Tampa is now closed through Thursday.

Have Waffle Houses Closed For Hurricane Milton?

Yes. Tampa-area locations of Waffle House, the breakfast food chain, will close ahead of Milton’s projected landfall. The company cited the so-called “Waffle House Index” in a social media post explaining the decision, a reference to a scale invented by former Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate to judge the severity of a natural disaster. If Waffle Houses in an area are open and serving a full menu, it’s a green on the index, a limited menu is a yellow on the scale, meaning the local area could be without electricity or water, and the index goes to red if the locations close down, indicating the local community will be in need of significant help.

Key Background

Milton will be the second major hurricane to hit Florida in two weeks. Hurricane Helene hit the state on Sept. 26, killing at least 20 in Florida, before going on to devastate parts of the southeastern United States. More than 220 people have died and hundreds more are still missing, with western North Carolina taking the brunt of flooding that the state’s governor says wiped communities “off the map.” In Florida, people are still working to clear debris from Helene as the next storm bears down. Ahead of Hurricane Milton, Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, ordered evacuations for areas near Tampa Bay and for all mobile and manufactured homes by Tuesday night. Lee County, home to Fort Myers, issued a mandatory evacuation order for the island of Fort Myers Beach. Other mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in Pinellas County, Pasco County and Manatee County. DeSantis on Tuesday said he wasn’t sure exactly how many people plan to evacuate for Hurricane Milton, but that he thinks those who saw Hurricane Helene will be particularly motivated to leave the area.

Tangent

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has said it is grappling with “extremely damaging” false narratives circulating about Hurricane Helene, which hit the U.S. two weeks ago. FEMA chief Deanne Criswell said misinformation about the storm and the federal government’s response is the “worst” she’s ever seen as former President Donald Trump and his allies slam the agency. Trump incorrectly claimed FEMA couldn’t respond appropriately to the storm because it diverted so much money to helping migrants on the order of Vice President Kamala Harris. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the agency is “meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have.” Other rumors include that FEMA has been withholding aid from areas that have historically voted Republican and that the agency is only giving $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.

Ufac apresenta delegação que vai para os Jubs 2025 — Universidade Federal do Acre

PUBLICADO

7 horas atrás

27 de setembro de 2025

Por:

José Gomes - Da Amazônia para o Mundo! contato@acre.com.br

Ufac apresenta delegação que vai para os Jubs 2025 — Universidade Federal do Acre

A Ufac, por meio da Pró-Reitoria de Cultura e Extensão (Proex) e em parceria com a Federação do Desporto Universitário Acreano (FDUA), apresentou oficialmente a delegação que representará a instituição nos Jogos Universitários Brasileiros (Jubs) de 2025. O grupo, formado por cerca de 70 estudantes-atletas e técnicos voluntários, foi apresentado em cerimônia realizada na quadra do Sesi neste sábado, 27.

A equipe, que competirá no maior evento de desporto universitário da América Latina, levará as cores da Ufac e do Acre em diversas modalidades: handebol, voleibol, xadrez, taekwondo, basquete, cheerleading, futsal e a modalidade eletrônica Free Fire. A edição deste ano dos jogos ocorrerá em Natal, no Rio Grande do Norte, entre 5 e 19 de outubro, e deve reunir mais de 6.500 atletas de todo o país.

A abertura do evento ficou por conta da apresentação da bateria Kamboteria, da Associação Atlética Acadêmica de Medicina da Ufac, a Sinistra. Sob o comando da mestra Alexia de Albuquerque, o grupo animou os presentes com o som de tamborins, chocalhos, agogôs, repiques e caixas.

Em um dos momentos mais simbólicos da solenidade, a reitora da Ufac, Guida Aquino, entregou as bandeiras do Acre e da universidade aos atletas. Em sua fala, ela destacou o orgulho e a confiança depositada na delegação.

“Este é um momento de grande alegria para a nossa universidade. Ver a dedicação e o talento de nossos estudantes-atletas nos enche de orgulho. Vocês não estão apenas indo competir; estão levando o nome da Ufac e a força do nosso estado para todo o Brasil”, disse a reitora, que complementou: “O esporte universitário é uma ferramenta poderosa de formação, que ensina sobre disciplina, trabalho em equipe e superação”.

A cerimônia contou ainda com a apresentação do time de cheerleading, que empolgou os presentes com suas acrobacias, e foi encerrada com um jogo amistoso de vôlei.

Compuseram o dispositivo de honra do evento o deputado federal e representante da Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Acre (Fieac), José Adriano Ribeiro; o deputado estadual Eduardo Ribeiro; o vereador de Rio Branco Samir Bestene; o vice-presidente da Federação do Desporto Universitário do Acre, Sandro Melo; o pró-reitor de Extensão, Carlos Paula de Moraes; a diretora de Arte, Cultura e Integração Comunitária, Lya Beiruth; o coordenador do Centro de Referência Paralímpico e Dirigente Oficial da Delegação da Ufac nos Jubs 2025, Jader de Andrade Bezerra; e o presidente da Liga das Atléticas da Ufac, Max William da Silva Pedrosa.

Relacionado

Continue lendo

ACRE

Ufac realiza 3ª Jornada das Profissões para alunos do ensino médio — Universidade Federal do Acre

PUBLICADO

1 dia atrás

26 de setembro de 2025

Por:

José Gomes - Da Amazônia para o Mundo! contato@acre.com.br

Ufac realiza 3ª Jornada das Profissões para alunos do ensino médio — Universidade Federal do Acre

A Pró-Reitoria de Graduação da Ufac realizou a solenidade de abertura da 3ª Jornada das Profissões. O evento ocorreu nesta sexta-feira, 26, no Teatro Universitário, campus-sede, e reuniu estudantes do ensino médio de escolas públicas e privadas do Estado, com o objetivo de aproximá-los da universidade e auxiliá-los na escolha de uma carreira. A abertura contou com apresentação cultural do palhaço Microbinho e exibição do vídeo institucional da Ufac.

A programação prevê a participação de cerca de 3 mil alunos durante todo o dia, vindos de 20 escolas, entre elas o Ifac e o Colégio de Aplicação da Ufac. Ao longo da jornada, os jovens conhecem os 53 cursos de graduação da instituição, além de laboratórios, espaços culturais e de pesquisa, como o Museu de Paleontologia, o Parque Zoobotânico e o Complexo da Medicina Veterinária.

Na abertura, a reitora Guida Aquino destacou a importância do encontro para os estudantes e para a instituição. Segundo ela, a energia da juventude renova o compromisso da universidade com sua missão. “Vocês são a razão de existir dessa universidade”, disse. “Tenho certeza de que muitos dos que estão aqui hoje ingressarão em 2026 na Ufac. Aproveitem este momento, conheçam os cursos e escolham aquilo que os fará felizes.”

A reitora também ressaltou a trajetória do evento, que chega à 3ª edição consolidado, e agradeceu as parcerias institucionais que possibilitam sua realização, como a Secretaria de Estado de Educação e Cultura (SEE) e a Fundação de Cultura Elias Mansour (FEM). “Sozinho ninguém faz nada, mas juntos somos mais fortes; é assim que a Ufac tem crescido, firmando-se como referência no ensino superior da Amazônia”, afirmou.
A pró-reitora de Graduação, Ednaceli Damasceno, explicou a proposta da jornada e o esforço coletivo envolvido na organização. “Nosso objetivo é mostrar os cursos de graduação da Ufac e ajudar esses jovens a identificarem áreas de afinidade que possam orientar suas escolhas profissionais. Muitos acreditam que a universidade é paga, então esse é também um momento de reforçar que se trata de uma instituição pública e gratuita.”

Entre os estudantes presentes estava Ana Luiza Souza de Oliveira, do 3º ano da Escola Boa União, que participou pela primeira vez da jornada. Ela contou estar animada com a experiência. “Quero ver de perto como funcionam as profissões, entender melhor cada uma. Tenho vontade de fazer Psicologia, mas também penso em Enfermagem. É uma oportunidade para tirar dúvidas.”

Também compuseram o dispositivo de honra o pró-reitor de Planejamento, Alexandre Hid; o pró-reitor de Administração, Tone Eli da Silva Roca; o presidente da FEM, Minoru Kinpara; além de diretores da universidade e representantes da SEE.