Channel 11 speaks to woman who left Florida just in time as Hurricane Milton approaches

FINDLAY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Experts fear Hurricane Milton could be the worst storm to hit Florida in a century and it looks like it’s headed right for Tampa. Channel 11 spoke with a woman from Pittsburgh who lives in St. Petersburg. She got out just in time.

“They closed Tampa International Airport at 9 a.m. My flight took off at 8:30 a.m. I got out of there by the skin of my teeth,” said Roxie Wallace.

People in Florida are preparing and bracing for another major storm. Roxie Wallace took one of the last flights out of Tampa Tuesday morning. Roxie owns a salon in Irwin and another one in Clearwater.

“This one hits different. The mass panic down there I have not seen since I’ve been living there,” said Wallace. “They are kind of calling it the Katrina of Tampa which is really scary.”

Milton could have a direct hit on Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg, which is still recovering from Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago. A woman from the North Hills sent Channel 11 photos of debris still lining the streets. For Milton, she plans to stay and hunker down with her family.

“Since we are a mile from the beach, we are not considered a mandatory evacuation zone,” said Stephanie Russell. “Our new home has been built in the last 5 years so we have hurricane windows. We put in a home generator that will run our house for seven days.”

Other local Pittsburghers like Alex Rizza have returned home after mandatory evacuation orders were put into effect. Jessica Storti of New Castle who lives in Naples also fled Florida ahead of this historic hurricane. Wallace said the next two days will be nerve-racking.

“I’m very nervous, what we are going to go back to or not go back to,” said Wallace.

The Orlando airport will shut down Wednesday morning. Disney World and Universal Studios will shut down

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