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Milton strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane late Tuesday afternoon as it moved toward West Florida.

Governor Ron DeSantis warned state residents that “time is running out” to evacuate.

“You might have a window where it’s safe, you might not,” he said. “So use today as your day to finalize and implement the plan that will protect you and your family.”

His warning comes after Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told CNN on Monday that residents will die if they don’t evacuate as Hurricane Milton barrels toward the state’s west coast.

Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of the Sunshine State nearly two weeks ago, was a “wake-up call,” she said. Milton could be “literally catastrophic,” Castor added.

The potential “once in a lifetime” storm rapidly intensified from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane on Monday with sustained winds of more than 200 miles per hour, before slowing to a Category 4 on Tuesday.

The National Hurricane Center has warned that Milton may regain strength and grow in size, bringing “even more danger” as it is expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday evening and slam into heavily populated Tampa Bay.

President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration on Monday after pledging “lifesaving resources in advance of the storm” the day before.