WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Some Kansans now living in Florida are in Hurricane Milton’s path.
They’ve lived in the state for months to years, but all of them say they’re expecting this to be the worst storm they’ve seen on the coast.
Hunter Nation is a former Wichita resident who moved to a small town outside of Tampa in July and is already preparing for another hurricane, even as people are still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Helene.
“This is not normal for them,” said Nation. “They’ve had flooding before but not this bad, so I can only imagine what this new one’s gonna do. It’s coming straight for Tampa.”
Nation chose to leave his home in an evacuation zone and stay in a rental in Georgia.
“There’s a 72-hour food kit right there … there’s like protein bars … and a crankshaft radio,” Nation said.
Some former Kansans who live farther inland are riding out the hurricane in their homes.
“To me, the ones I’ve been through were kind of like a Kansas thunderstorm,” said Jill Bosley, who now lives in Orlando. “This one’s a little different. I’m not really sure what to expect. It’s gonna be a lot worse than a Kansas thunderstorm.”
Those farther north are mainly worried about wind.
“That’s, I guess, what we’re really worried about at my friend’s house, is just watching those trees and making sure that they’re not falling on houses,” said Burgandy Dreiling, a former Wichitan now living in Ocala.
Wade Kennedy moved to Saint Petersburg from Hutchinson a few years ago. He evacuated his home ahead of Hurricane Milton.
“There’s been quite a few tears for sure … knowing that when we come back that there’s a chance it will be drastically different than how we left it,” Kennedy said.
Nation says it reminds him of a storm he saw when he was younger.
“I remember visually seeing the tornado and just panicking inside, and that same panic moment feeling here, but here I’m by myself,” Nation said.
For those who are interested in helping hurricane victims, Kansans in Wichita and Cowley County are collecting supplies to take to North Carolina. KSN’s parent company, Nexstar, has also partnered with the American Red Cross to collect donations.
