'That's the coffin you're in': Tampa Mayor warns residents amid Hurricane Milton

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued another urgent warning to residents in evacuation zones who intended to remain in their homes during Hurricane Milton . The storm is expected to bring storm surges of up to 8 to 12 feet to Tampa Bay upon landfall.

Despite the slightly reduced flooding forecast for Tampa due to the storm's southward shift, Mayor Castor emphasised that residents are still in danger. In an address to residents on Tuesday night (local time), she said, "Individuals that are in these, say you're in a single-story home … 2 feet is above that house. So, if you're in it, you know, basically that's the coffin you're in."

She further stressed on the futility of challenging the forces of nature, saying, "I've said many times that you want to pick a fight with Mother Nature, she's winning 100% of the time." On Monday, during a CNN interview , Mayor Castor had delivered another warning, stating, "If you choose to stay … you are going to die."

Over 6.5 million people have been instructed to evacuate the coast in anticipation of Milton, which has twice intensified into a catastrophic Category 5 storm . Currently, it remains a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 mph.