SARASOTA, United States (AFP) — The normally pleasant seaside town of Sarasota looked deserted Wednesday, with most of its residents gone or seeking shelter as dangerous Hurricane Milton rumbled toward Florida.

The town of 57,000 people sits on a bay connected to the Gulf of Mexico and in normal times its prime location is a lure for visitors.

But these are anything but normal times: Hurricane Helene hit Florida two weeks ago, doing major damage, and next comes Milton — a monstrous storm packing 130 mph winds and potential for a coastal surge of 15 feet (4.5 metres).

Sarasota is one of many cities and towns along the west coast of Florida that are girding for Milton, which is expected to make landfall overnight Wednesday into Thursday.

Brad Reeves, a 55-year-old building inspector, took a walk along the bay in the morning to have one last look before hunkering down in his apartment, in a modern building several miles from the coast.

“This situation really rattles your nerves,” Reeves told AFP.

“You have moments where you’re excited, moments where you’re scared, moments where you just can’t sleep. Everything is just topsy-turvy,” Reeves added.