Joe Biden issues stark warning over Hurricane Milton - 'Matter of life and death'

As the Category 4 hurricane approaches Florida's Gulf Coast, Biden has postponed planned trips to Germany and Angola to monitor the situation from the White House.

"I just don't think I can be out of the country at this time," he said.

The storm, with winds reaching up to 155mph (250km/h), is expected to make landfall near Tampa on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

Hurricane Milton, currently off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, briefly reached Category 5 status before returning to Category 4 on Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center warns of "potentially catastrophic" storm surges along coastal areas.

Forecasters predict the storm could maintain its strength as it crosses Florida, prompting hurricane warnings for parts of the eastern coast.

The Tampa Bay region, home to over 3.3 million people, faces the possibility of a direct hit leaving officials to prepare for what could be Florida's largest evacuation effort in years.

The hurricane's approach comes as the state continues to grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. There are concerns that debris from Helene's recent devastation could become dangerous projectiles in Milton's powerful winds.

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President Biden has been in close communication with Florida officials, including Governor Ron DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.

He assured them of federal support, stating, "I made it clear to them they should reach out, including to me directly, with everything else they may need as they see this storm hit."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) is actively preparing for Milton's impact.

Biden said that Fema Administrator Deanne Criswell has been sent to Florida to coordinate with state and local partners.

Fema has already provided 300 ambulances to assist in evacuating vulnerable individuals from healthcare facilities.

Despite some political tensions, DeSantis has informed Biden that he has received all necessary resources following Hurricane Helene and in preparation for Milton.

The potential long-term effects of Hurricane Milton on Florida are expected to be severe.

Biden warned that the storm could "both enter Florida as a hurricane and leave Florida as a hurricane on the Atlantic coast".

The president acknowledged that recovery efforts would "take time" and could cost "tens of billions of dollars".

Biden emphasised the ongoing support for areas affected by Hurricane Helene, stating, "We're still surging resources in North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee to respond to Hurricane Helene".