A Reading professor has warned of the potential dangers as hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida.

Professor Hannah Cloke, an expert in hydrology at the University of Reading, has highlighted the risks posed by the previously category four hurricane, which has made landfall in Florida Wednesday 9th 8.30pm EDT.

Professor Cloke has been working on flood prevention since the European floods in 2002.

Professor Hannah Cloke from University of ReadingProfessor Hannah Cloke from University of Reading (Image: University of Reading)

She said: "Hurricane winds grab people's attention, but flooding is probably the biggest concern with Milton.

"Winds of 150mph can easily destroy buildings and cause injuries and fatalities if people are caught out in the open by flying debris.

"There are three types of floods that cause the biggest damage - storm surge causing coastal flooding, flash floods from the extremely heavy rain, and river floods as all that water rushes down channels and onto floodplains."

Hurricane Milton weakened from a category four hurricane to category three as it moved toward western Florida.

 It is still anticipated to be a dangerous and destructive storm when it hit, with sustained winds of around 130mph along the coast and a significant storm surge.

Professor Cloke added: "People's attention may be turned to the sky, but emergency planners will be worried about what is coming from below.

"This storm has been very well forecast and the warnings to people couldn't be clearer.

"Seek safe ground and stay there or you're at serious risk of losing your life.

"Emergency planners are particularly worried about storm surge and that happens because the air pressure drops so low that it sucks up the sea to a higher level and then these persistent 100 mile an hour winds drive massive waves onto the land and that turns that low-lying land into a sea."

Professor Cloke's work on developing an early warning system for floods has been in Uganda to help the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement deliver aid to 5,000 people before roads and other lines of communication were cut by floodwater.

She now uses her experience and expertise to help shape the UK's response to national and international flooding incidents.