Parts of Florida bracing for major hurricane

Residents of Florida’s Panhandle frantically filled sandbags, boarded up homes and secured boats Monday as they awaited Hurricane Michael, which forecasters warned could smash into the state’s Gulf Coast as a major hurricane within days.

Fueled by warm tropical waters, Michael gained strength by nightfall and could reach major hurricane status with winds topping 111 mph before its anticipated landfall Wednesday in the Panhandle or Big Bend area of Florida, forecasters warned.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott called Michael a “monstrous hurricane” with a devastating potential from high winds, storm surge and heavy rain.

Scott declared a state of emergency for 35 Florida counties from the Panhandle to Tampa Bay, activated hundreds of Florida National Guard members and waived tolls to encourage those near the coast to evacuate inland.

In the small Panhandle city of Apalachicola, Mayor Van Johnson Sr. said the 2,300 residents were frantically preparing.

“We’re looking at a significant storm with significant impact, possibly greater than I’ve seen in my 59 years of life,” Johnson said of the city, which straddles the shore of Apalachicola Bay, a Gulf of Mexico inlet that reaps about 90% of Florida’s oysters.

By Monday evening, lines had formed at gas stations and grocery stores as people sought emergency supplies even as evacuations were expected to intensify. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for residents of barrier islands, mobile homes and low-lying coastal areas.

High winds weren’t the only danger. Parts of Florida’s curvy Big Bend could see up to 12 feet of storm surge, while Michael also could dump up to a foot of rain over some Panhandle communities.