Massive traffic jams are seen in Tampa, Florida, as residents try to flee ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

Elsewhere, people have boarded up homes and businesses and a shelter has been set up at a baseball stadium.

Officials have warned of the threat to lives posed by the category four storm as it heads towards the US.

The hurricane is likely to hit the state less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread destruction across the southeastern U.S., killing at least 225 people.