Foreign affairs minister urges Canadians to leave Florida ahead of devastating storm

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canadians in Florida should leave and people planning to travel there should postpone as the state braces for the impact of Hurricane Milton.

The storm was downgraded this morning to a Category 4 but is expected to bring deadly storm surge, rain and winds.

It’s expected to make landfall later Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area, which is home to more than 3.3 million people, and then move east affecting other populated areas including Sarasota, Orlando and Daytona Beach.

Millions of people have been ordered to evacuate.

Florida is a popular destination for Canadian snowbirds, particularly in the winter, though Joly says her office doesn’t know exactly how many Canadians are now in the area.

She said her office has been in contact with American officials and that any Canadians who are registered with the embassy will have received an email telling them to leave.

With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2024.