As Hurricane Milton approaches many cities were largely deserted but some people decided to shelter in place

Most left when they were told to. But some chose to stay, even though officials warned Hurricane Milton would turn their homes into coffins.

Along Florida’s Gulf coast, where millions of people were urged to get out of harm’s way, cities were largely deserted on Wednesday afternoon as time ran out to evacuate. Those who remained were advised to shelter in place as best they could. Others who fled spoke of their dread at what, if anything, they would return to once the storm had passed.

William Tokajer, police chief of Holmes Beach, told islanders who planned to stay to write their names, dates of birth and social security numbers on their limbs with Sharpies to help identify their bodies after the storm.

  • TommySoda@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    One of my good friends lives in Tampa and his mom took the car and bailed while he was taking out the dogs. He’s stuck at home this very moment and I only hope he’s safe

  • Kokesh@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Oh no! These Lord people will lower down tRump numbers if it sweeps them!

  • metaStatic@kbin.earth
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    3 days ago

    last I heard they where told to shelter in place and there was no way to evacuate everyone in the path from the time it went from cat 1 to cat 5 but lets all pretend it was their choice and point and laugh.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Nor should he. Ignoring evacuation orders for a hurricane like this one when able to evacuate is a very selfish form of suicide.

      The least these assholes can do is make things a little easier for the likely critically understaffed and ridiculously underpaid workers who are going to collect their bodies.

  • PorradaVFR@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    I wonder if they’ll ever consider that an almighty god could, you know, NOT send the hurricane instead.

  • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Ok, but when they are standing on their own roofs waving at helicopters, I want rescuers to just wave back. Let their gods come down and risk life and limb to save their stubborn asses.

    • ladicius@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      I think the helicopter people shouldn’t only be waving.

      An additional thumbs up could deliver so much inspiration and motivation!

      • Clasm@ttrpg.network
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        3 days ago

        Not heartless at all. If anything, they’re respecting the religious freedoms of these suicidal-death-cult members.

        • Crismus@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          You cannot assume that all the people unable to evacuate were obstinate religiously minded conservatives. Very few people have the means to leave their residence when the time comes.

          Not everyone owns a vehicle. Not everyone can walk their way out of the path of a storm. What about all the people left in nursing homes. Katrina saw a lot of people forced to stay. Unless there are no homeless people in that section of Florida, I’m ptlretty sure there a lot more forced to stay than those who choose to stay.

          Letting everyone die isn’t a good way to get people to learn and change their minds.

          • Clasm@ttrpg.network
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            2 days ago

            It’s perfectly okay to have sympathy for those who have no means of escape.

            That’s not who was expressing their desire to stay due to some belief that their deity has a duty to protect them.

      • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Am I? I care about the lives of people who help people. The people who obstinately refuse to leave when given ample warning because they think they know better are not deserving of the sacrifices made by emergency personnel.

        • machineLearner@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          this is why I hate liberals. So high all the fucking time. People have circumstances, and maybe sometimes can’t afford a starbucks every day or to leave their houses. More than likely in america, they were failed by their education system. Yet you still revel in their suffering.

          • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            This is either a strawman argument or a complete misunderstanding on your part. Given that conservatives are biologically incapable of being honest, I’m going with the former.

            No one is suggesting that people without the means to evacuate should suffer. No one. Not a single fucking person.

            Every word uttered by a conservative is either deception or manipulation.

            • vala@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              Just because someone is talking poorly about liberals doesn’t make them a conservative.

              There is a whole other side of politics to the left of liberal. For example, socialists, communists anarchists etc.

              Thinking liberal=“the left” is American propaganda. Liberals are basically centrists.

              • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                You were referring to another commenter as a “liberal” in the exact same way conservatives refer to everyone left of Trump as a liberal. You are transparently bad at this.

                • vala@lemmy.world
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                  I wasn’t doing anything. You are confusing me with another person.

                  For the record I’m probably what most would consider “a leftist”. I’m absolutely not not a conservative, but also absolutely not a liberal.

            • machineLearner@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              Im not a conservative at all actually. But suppose that the people not evacuating had the means to and were dumb as fuck. Eating popcorn while watching them suffer instead of praying or wishing them well is monstrous.

              • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                Im not a conservative…

                This sounds like deception.

                suppose that the people not evacuating had the means to…

                You are moving the goalpost. What happened to all those evil “liberals” laughing at those who couldn’t afford to flee? Why does your story of these imaginary evil liberals change so easily? Could it be because you are just throwing things at the wall to see what will stick? That’s the most common conservative strategy for attacking non-conservatives this year, so that makes sense.

                Eating popcorn while watching them suffer instead of praying…

                More conservative strawman nonsense. Who is doing that? Is the scary godless non-conservative in the room with us right now?

                Every word uttered by a conservative is deception or manipulation. Your comment thread here seems to be an illustration of that.

  • vegeta@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    And the Lord said, I sent ye a sign. A sign that said evacuate, and ye didn’t listen.

  • Annoyed_🦀 @monyet.cc
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    3 days ago

    William Tokajer, police chief of Holmes Beach, told islanders who planned to stay to write their names, dates of birth and social security numbers on their limbs with Sharpies to help identify their bodies after the storm.

    Ooookay, that’s super grim.

    • ladicius@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      That is one of the most practical suggestions I’ve ever seen.

      They could tape their documents to their bodies, just wrap enough tape around. Sharpie may wash off.

      • unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyz
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        3 days ago

        Yeah I think that was said for dramatic effect. I hope it worked, because I am not confident in permanent marker on skin submerged lasting very long

        • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
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          3 days ago

          My cell number stayed on my toddler~runner’s back while she played in the water features in Central Park, but after a soapy tub at the hotel it was pretty faded.

        • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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          I’ve had sharpie marks last on my hand after several handwashings trying to get it off.

    • Agent641@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Tampa mayor on CNN, verbatim: “And I can say without any dramatization whatsoever, if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die.”

      Whether she’s personally roaming the zone with an AK-47 to see to it, is not clear.

    • ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net
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      2 days ago

      That what FREEDOM means.

      If you die, you die. Might as well make it easier to identify your corpse.

    • AlligatorBlizzard@sh.itjust.works
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      Copied from a top level comment I made about the same quote:

      This isn’t a new suggestion. I remember this being told to people staying in spite of evac orders for a previous nasty storm, iirc it was Key West hearing it that time. It scared the shit out of some people back then and convinced them to leave, sadly the more times you hear something like that the less impact it has. And your neighbor managed to ride it out last time they said that…

  • Blaster M@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    You don’t put God to thw test by putting yourself in a dangerous situation and expecting him to just save you from your own stupidity.

    • Randomgal@lemmy.ca
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      God sent the evacuation alert for them. They used their free will to choose to stay. Even if you look at it from their perspective, it’s a fucking stupid choice. XD

      • Blaster M@lemmy.world
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        A follower of God is supposed to obey the authorities up to the point it conflicts with God’s requirements. Since most of God’s laws are stricter/safer than most governments, they should not clash. Evac orders do not clash with God’s laws, so they are to be followed.

        • bork@sh.itjust.works
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          24 hours ago

          If Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for a census, surely evac orders should be followed one would think.