Set to make landfall in the US state of&nbsp;Florida, Hurricane Milton is expected to be one of the most catastrophic storms in the United States. This deadly storm comes just a week after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the state, resulting in over 230 deaths.

Hurricane Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico and&nbsp;is classed as a Category 5 storm, as it gained intensity within a short span of hours. It is predicted that the storm will result in a life-threatening situation in the area in its path. Millions were ordered to evacuate the region and rushing to do so.

<h2>How are hurricanes categorised?</h2>

Hurricanes are tropical storms that form over tropical or subtropical waters. They are low-pressure systems with thunderstorm activity, which gain their intensity from warm ocean waters. They result in strong surface winds in circular motion and can bring extreme weather conditions to the nearby land.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-milton-to-hit-florida-timing-areas-at-risk-wind-speeds-and-what-to-expect-766046">Hurricane Milton to hit Florida: Timing, areas at risk, wind speeds, and what to expect</a>

Hurricanes are classified as per the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which measures a storm’s intensity based on its sustained wind speed. The scale also estimates the damage caused by hurricanes, depending on their category.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the hurricanes are categorised as follows:

Category One Hurricane: These hurricanes have wind speeds of 74-95 mph (119-153 km/hr) and cause some damage. They can result in “power outages that could last a few to several days,” according to the NWS.

Category Two Hurricane: These hurricanes have wind speeds of 96-110 mph (154-177 km/hr) and can cause extensive damage due to dangerous winds. These storms can result in near-total power loss.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-helene-to-milton-why-and-how-hurricanes-get-their-names-find-out-here-wion-explains-765937">Explained | Hurricane Helene to Milton: Why and how hurricanes get their names—find out here</a>

Category Three Hurricane: The wind speeds for hurricanes under this category are 111-129 mph (km/hr) and can result in devastating damage with many trees uprooted. They would also cause electricity and water outages.

Category Four Hurricane: These hurricanes can have wind speeds as high as 130-156 mph (209-251 km/hr). During these storms, “catastrophic damage will occur” with many homes sustaining severe damage, as per the NWS website. They will result in week or month-long power outages and leave the place uninhabitable for some time.

Category Five Hurricane: The last category classifies storms with winds 157 mph or higher (252 km/hr or higher). “Catastrophic damage will occur” due to these storms with a high percentage of framed homes destroyed, with roofs and walls collapsing, according to the NWS. They will also result in the area being uninhabitable for weeks or months.

(With inputs from agencies)

Set to make landfall in the US state of Florida, Hurricane Milton is expected to be one of the most catastrophic storms in the United States. This deadly storm comes just a week after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the state, resulting in over 230 deaths.

Set to make landfall in the US state of Florida, Hurricane Milton is expected to be one of the most catastrophic storms in the United States. This deadly storm comes just a week after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the state, resulting in over 230 deaths. Hurricane Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is classed as a Category 5 storm, as it gained intensity within a short span of hours. It is predicted that the storm will result in a life-threatening situation in the area in its path. Millions were ordered to evacuate the region and rushing to do so. How are hurricanes categorised? Hurricanes are tropical storms that form over tropical or subtropical waters. They are low-pressure systems with thunderstorm activity, which gain their intensity from warm ocean waters. They result in strong surface winds in circular motion and can bring extreme weather conditions to the nearby land. Also read | Hurricane Milton to hit Florida: Timing, areas at risk, wind speeds, and what to expect Hurricanes are classified as per the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which measures a storm’s intensity based on its sustained wind speed. The scale also estimates the damage caused by hurricanes, depending on their category. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the hurricanes are categorised as follows: Category One Hurricane: These hurricanes have wind speeds of 74-95 mph (119-153 km/hr) and cause some damage. They can result in “power outages that could last a few to several days,” according to the NWS. Category Two Hurricane: These hurricanes have wind speeds of 96-110 mph (154-177 km/hr) and can cause extensive damage due to dangerous winds. These storms can result in near-total power loss. Also read | Explained | Hurricane Helene to Milton: Why and how hurricanes get their names—find out here Category Three Hurricane: The wind speeds for hurricanes under this category are 111-129 mph (km/hr) and can result in devastating damage with many trees uprooted. They would also cause electricity and water outages. Category Four Hurricane: These hurricanes can have wind speeds as high as 130-156 mph (209-251 km/hr). During these storms, “catastrophic damage will occur” with many homes sustaining severe damage, as per the NWS website. They will result in week or month-long power outages and leave the place uninhabitable for some time. Category Five Hurricane: The last category classifies storms with winds 157 mph or higher (252 km/hr or higher). “Catastrophic damage will occur” due to these storms with a high percentage of framed homes destroyed, with roofs and walls collapsing, according to the NWS. They will also result in the area being uninhabitable for weeks or months. (With inputs from agencies)

What category is Hurricane Milton and how are hurricanes categorised?

Hurricane Otis hit the beach resort of Mexico's Acapulco early on Wednesday. The storm, which happens to be one of the strongest storms ever to hit Mexico's Pacific Coast, smashed buildings and vital infrastructure, leaving the city disconnected and without power. It&nbsp;claimed the lives of at least 27 people.

<h2>The destruction wrought massive destruction</h2>

In the southern state of Guerrero the category 5 storm, Otis, as per videos and photos on social media, wrought widespread destruction, wrecking hotels, ripping open walls and ceilings, shattering windows, and leaving cars partly submerged in floodwaters.

Videos from Acapulco show debris strewn around lobbies, patios, streets and hotel balconies, and remnants of mangled trees littering the city's downtown area.&nbsp;

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A más de 20 horas del impacto de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Otis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Otis</a>: 
 
-<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Acapulco?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Acapulco</a> sigue incomunicado 
-Aún no hay luz al 100% 
-El aeropuerto está cerrado 
-Autopista del Sol, abierta solo para vehículos oficiales 
-No hemos visto a la gobernadora 
-La alcaldesa del Puerto no ha dado la cara <a href="https://t.co/b3NZZtZ0sV">pic.twitter.com/b3NZZtZ0sV</a>
— Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLopezSanMartin/status/1717383357233758657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Whoahhh! Jeeeze!! This video really shows how bad the situation is in Acapulco 😭💔 
 
📹 Jorge Martíne<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HurricaneOtis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HurricaneOtis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HurracanOtis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HurracanOtis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Otis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Otis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Acapulco?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Acapulco</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mexico?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mexico</a> <a href="https://t.co/XboA3EYoCM">pic.twitter.com/XboA3EYoCM</a>
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) <a href="https://twitter.com/volcaholic1/status/1717286069924671618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/hurricane-otis-mexicos-most-powerful-storm-makes-landfall-near-acapulco-on-pacific-coast-651094">Hurricane Otis: Mexico's most powerful storm ever makes landfall near Acapulco resort</a>

Furthermore, downed telecommunication lines&nbsp;and damage to infrastructure left the city's residents disconnected from the outside world.&nbsp;

The power loss also led to the closure of the city's airport. Furthermore, as per the government, the airport suffered significant damage — with storm Otis smashing the control tower's windows.

While there were no immediate reports of fatalities, as per a Reuters report, this could be because&nbsp;power outages have made it hard for officials to assess the extent of the destruction.

Watch |&nbsp;Hurricane Otis slams Mexican coast as a category 5 storm

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hurricane-otis-slams-mexican-coast-as-a-category-5-storm-651285/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Some officials have reportedly expressed concern that there would likely have been some loss of life.

<h2>President lends support</h2>

As per Reuters, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tried to reach Acapulco by car to lend his support. However, he was held up due to road closures caused by the storm.

Otis roared into the coast with winds of 165 miles per hour (266 kph), reaching the shore as a Category 5 storm - the strongest level on the five-step Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. However, it quickly weakened to a Category 4 storm.

It further lost its power as it moved inland, reducing to a tropical storm and finally dissipating over southern Mexico mountains. As per Reuters, the&nbsp;main highway connecting Acapulco to Mexico City will not be fully open until Thursday. The nation has mobilised the military&nbsp;to help clear up the mess left behind by Otis.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hurricane Otis hit the beach resort of Mexico's Acapulco early on Wednesday. The storm, which happens to be one of the strongest storms ever to hit Mexico's Pacific Coast, smashed buildings and vital infrastructure, leaving the city disconnected and without power.

Hurricane Otis hit the beach resort of Mexico's Acapulco early on Wednesday. The storm, which happens to be one of the strongest storms ever to hit Mexico's Pacific Coast, smashed buildings and vital infrastructure, leaving the city disconnected and without power. It claimed the lives of at least 27 people. The destruction wrought massive destruction In the southern state of Guerrero the category 5 storm, Otis, as per videos and photos on social media, wrought widespread destruction, wrecking hotels, ripping open walls and ceilings, shattering windows, and leaving cars partly submerged in floodwaters. Videos from Acapulco show debris strewn around lobbies, patios, streets and hotel balconies, and remnants of mangled trees littering the city's downtown area. A más de 20 horas del impacto de #Otis: -#Acapulco sigue incomunicado -Aún no hay luz al 100% -El aeropuerto está cerrado -Autopista del Sol, abierta solo para vehículos oficiales -No hemos visto a la gobernadora -La alcaldesa del Puerto no ha dado la cara pic.twitter.com/b3NZZtZ0sV — Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) October 26, 2023 × Whoahhh! Jeeeze!! This video really shows how bad the situation is in Acapulco 😭💔 📹 Jorge Martíne#HurricaneOtis #HurracanOtis #Otis #Acapulco #Mexico pic.twitter.com/XboA3EYoCM — Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) October 25, 2023 × Also read | Hurricane Otis: Mexico's most powerful storm ever makes landfall near Acapulco resort Furthermore, downed telecommunication lines and damage to infrastructure left the city's residents disconnected from the outside world. The power loss also led to the closure of the city's airport. Furthermore, as per the government, the airport suffered significant damage — with storm Otis smashing the control tower's windows. While there were no immediate reports of fatalities, as per a Reuters report, this could be because power outages have made it hard for officials to assess the extent of the destruction. Watch | Hurricane Otis slams Mexican coast as a category 5 storm Some officials have reportedly expressed concern that there would likely have been some loss of life. President lends support As per Reuters, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tried to reach Acapulco by car to lend his support. However, he was held up due to road closures caused by the storm. Otis roared into the coast with winds of 165 miles per hour (266 kph), reaching the shore as a Category 5 storm - the strongest level on the five-step Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. However, it quickly weakened to a Category 4 storm. It further lost its power as it moved inland, reducing to a tropical storm and finally dissipating over southern Mexico mountains. As per Reuters, the main highway connecting Acapulco to Mexico City will not be fully open until Thursday. The nation has mobilised the military to help clear up the mess left behind by Otis. (With inputs from agencies)

Category 5 Hurricane Otis roars into Mexico, causing widespread destruction

After the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-seeks-785-billion-down-payment-for-hurricane-harvey-relief-19800">devastating Hurricane Harvey in Texas</a>, Hurricane Irma took over Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and the northern Caribbean.

It is one of the most forceful <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-harvey-storm-emerges-in-texas-louisiana-19482">Atlantic storms in a century--a catastrophic blend</a> of ferocious winds, surf, and life-threatening rain.

The eye of the storm is packed with terrifying winds speeding at 295 km per hour. According to the US National Hurricane Center, Irma was expected to sweep through the northern Leeward Islands, east of Puerto Rico on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, making it to Florida landfall on Saturday.

This comes at a time when Texas and Louisiana still struggle to manage the damage done by Hurricane Harvey. The Category 4 hurricane hit Texas on August 25. An estimated 60 people were killed and more than 1 million were displaced.

According to the White House, President Trump has approved pre-landfall emergency declarations for the alerted areas, deploying federal disaster relief efforts in all jurisdictions ahead of Irma&#39;s arrival.

Workers in Puerto Rico&#39;s capital, San Juan, hurry to cover windows with plywood and corrugated metal shutters along Avenida Ashford, a stretch of restaurants, hotels and six-story apartments.

&quot;I am worried because this is the biggest storm we have seen here,&quot;Jonathan Negron, 41, told Reuters as he supervised workers boarding up his souvenir shop.

Irma has made tourists reconsider vacation plans.

&quot;I just got off the plane, and I already want to leave. I do not want to be here for this storm,&quot; Watkins said. Pointing to boarded-up oceanfront windows, she said, &quot;I see everything covered up like that and it makes me nervous,&quot; 52-year-old Denise Watkins from Texas told Reuters.

At 8 pm Eastern Time, Irma was 140 km east of Antigua in the eastern Caribbean and moving west at 24 km per hour. Maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, with hurricane-force winds extending 95 km from the storm&#39;s center.

A rare, Category 5 hurricane

The storm was upgraded to a Category 5, the highest NHC designation. While some fluctuations in intensity are likely, Irma is expected to remain a Category 4 or 5 for the next couple of days.

Only three Category 5 storms have ever hit the US. A category 5 Atlantic hurricane encompasses 32 tropical cyclones.

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello urged the 3.4 million residents to seek refuge in one of 460 hurricane shelters in advance of the storm. Police has been instructed to evacuate the flood-prone areas in the north and east of the island.

&quot;This is something without precedent,&quot; sad Rossello. Police later confirmed that a 75-year-old man died while preparing for the storm in the island&#39;s central mountains.

Authorities in the Florida Keys ordered a mandatory evacuation of the island. Public schools throughout South Florida were ordered closed.

Julia Nu&ntilde;ez Rodriguez, a single mother of three who lives north of Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, was most worried about the potentially high death toll. &quot;I&#39;m hoping and praying for the best,&quot; she told Reuters.

Flights to the region have been cancelled and American Airlines have added three extra flights to Miami from San Juan, St. Kitts and St. Maarten.

The Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30.

The eye of the storm is packed with terrifying winds speeding at 295 km per hour

After the devastating Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Irma took over Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and the northern Caribbean. It is one of the most forceful Atlantic storms in a century--a catastrophic blend of ferocious winds, surf, and life-threatening rain. The eye of the storm is packed with terrifying winds speeding at 295 km per hour. According to the US National Hurricane Center, Irma was expected to sweep through the northern Leeward Islands, east of Puerto Rico on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, making it to Florida landfall on Saturday. This comes at a time when Texas and Louisiana still struggle to manage the damage done by Hurricane Harvey. The Category 4 hurricane hit Texas on August 25. An estimated 60 people were killed and more than 1 million were displaced. According to the White House, President Trump has approved pre-landfall emergency declarations for the alerted areas, deploying federal disaster relief efforts in all jurisdictions ahead of Irma's arrival. Workers in Puerto Rico's capital, San Juan, hurry to cover windows with plywood and corrugated metal shutters along Avenida Ashford, a stretch of restaurants, hotels and six-story apartments. "I am worried because this is the biggest storm we have seen here,"Jonathan Negron, 41, told Reuters as he supervised workers boarding up his souvenir shop. Irma has made tourists reconsider vacation plans. "I just got off the plane, and I already want to leave. I do not want to be here for this storm," Watkins said. Pointing to boarded-up oceanfront windows, she said, "I see everything covered up like that and it makes me nervous," 52-year-old Denise Watkins from Texas told Reuters. At 8 pm Eastern Time, Irma was 140 km east of Antigua in the eastern Caribbean and moving west at 24 km per hour. Maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, with hurricane-force winds extending 95 km from the storm's center. A rare, Category 5 hurricane The storm was upgraded to a Category 5, the highest NHC designation. While some fluctuations in intensity are likely, Irma is expected to remain a Category 4 or 5 for the next couple of days. Only three Category 5 storms have ever hit the US. A category 5 Atlantic hurricane encompasses 32 tropical cyclones. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello urged the 3.4 million residents to seek refuge in one of 460 hurricane shelters in advance of the storm. Police has been instructed to evacuate the flood-prone areas in the north and east of the island. "This is something without precedent," sad Rossello. Police later confirmed that a 75-year-old man died while preparing for the storm in the island's central mountains. Authorities in the Florida Keys ordered a mandatory evacuation of the island. Public schools throughout South Florida were ordered closed. Julia Nuñez Rodriguez, a single mother of three who lives north of Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, was most worried about the potentially high death toll. "I'm hoping and praying for the best," she told Reuters. Flights to the region have been cancelled and American Airlines have added three extra flights to Miami from San Juan, St. Kitts and St. Maarten. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30.

Hurricane Irma: Most ferocious Atlantic storm in history