Hurricane Milton can hit hazardous facilities, triggering fires, poisoning air and water

As Florida braces for Hurricane Milton, loss of life and property are not the only concerns facing residents right now. Experts say that the storm can travel through hazardous material facilities in the state, polluting the environment with harmful chemicals.

A map shows all such facilities in the path of the hurricane that can poison the air of not only Florida but also other nearby regions because of high winds and rainfall.

Rice University's Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience (CFAR) has prepared a map showingall the major polluters that are in the US Environmental Protection Agency's 2022 Toxic Release Inventory.

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"Those residing near the major polluters in Milton's trajectory might face the true disaster in the aftermath of the storm," James Elliott, co-director of CFAR, department chair and David W. Leebron Professor of Sociology at Rice, said in a statement.

The sites that will face damage from the storm include concrete plants, electronic manufacturers and chemical plants. Experts say that hazardous substances can be released from these facilities when strong winds and rainfall hit storage tanks, pipelines, and containment systems.

The hurricane will also lead to flooding which can wash chemicals, oil or industrial waste into rivers, lakes or oceans. This contamination can have serious repercussions on marine life and pollute drinking water.

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Besides, when hurricanes hit industrial facilities, they can trigger fires and explosions, further releasing toxic fumes and particulate matter into the air, poisoning the air and causing health issues.

Similar scenes unfolded in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Oil spills were reported and hazardous waste was released from flooded refineries and chemical plants, causing long-term environmental issues.

"This interactive map enables individuals to identify facilities that handle hazardous materials in the storm's path," Dominic Boyer, CFAR co-director and a professor of anthropology at Rice, said in the statement.

Tampa braces for once-in-a-lifetime storm

Hurricane Milton is expected to be the strongest storm to hit Tampa in 100 years and create "life-threatening" conditions.

Tampa Bay Mayor Jane Castor issued a dire warning to the residents, saying, "If you choose to stay … you are going to die." She urged everyone to leave and not to try and brave the storm.

The storm strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane again on Tuesday, NHC said, but is expected to weaken into Category 3 ahead of making landfall somewhere on Florida’s Central Gulf Coast, either late Wednesday night or into very early Thursday.