Hurricane Milton: Florida rushes to prepare and evacuate

As Milton approaches Florida, many towns in its path are still littered with debris scattered by Hurricane Helene – piles of wood, steel and other materials that could become dangerous projectiles in Milton's strong winds and block the path of emergency responders .

“You get hit by a major hurricane, what happens to that debris? “It will dramatically increase the damage,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday.

Emergency crews in Florida are working around the clock to clear the debris ahead of Milton's arrival. DeSantis has ordered all disaster response sites to remain open 24 hours a day and has directed state agencies to support on-site cleanup efforts. More than 800 National Guard personnel were also deployed to clear debris, but DeSantis said up to 4,000 would soon be available.

This is what Milton's path looks like:

Tampa Bay

Damaged household items pile up along a street in Clearwater, Florida.

Tampa could see up to three months of rain if Milton hits, and crews there are working day and night to clear debris ahead of the storm's arrival, Mayor Jane Castor told CNN.

The sheer volume of waste being collected means some crews in the city of Clearwater are working up to 12 hours a day, Kervin St. Aimie, the city's solid waste manager, told CNN affiliate Spectrum Bay News 9.

Pasco County

Workers clear debris along a road in Pasco County, Florida.

North of Tampa in Pasco County, officials have declared a local state of emergency and issued evacuation orders for flood-prone areas and RV and RV residents. Officials fear the excess debris left behind by Helen will make it even more difficult for emergency responders to navigate blocked roads.

“With this storm, Milton, and the storm surge we have ahead, the debris still on the sides of the roads will cause problems. The fire department, sheriff’s office and first responders may not be able to operate the roads to rescue you,” said Andy Fossa, county emergency management director.

Anna Maria Island

A still image from a video shot by resident Jose Erbella shows debris along roads in Anna Maria Island, Florida.

Towering walls of rubble line the streets of Anna Maria Island – about 60 miles south of Tampa – and piles of jagged drywall, appliances, dressers, mattresses and broken beams are stuffed into dumpsters, video shot by resident Jose Erbella shows. Bulldozers are on the streets to help shovel away debris, Erbella said.

“We have mountains and mountains of trash,” Erbella told CNN on Sunday. “It seems like all the ground floors are now on the street because of the last storm.”

CNN's Dakin Andone, Melissa Alonso and Sarah Dewberry contributed to this report.