5 things to know for Oct. 8: Hurricane Milton, Immigration, Israel, Cyberattack, Marburg virus

CNN’s 5 Things brings you the news you need to know every morning.

As Florida residents brace for another major storm, new estimates reveal Hurricane Helene caused more than $47 billion in losses for property owners. With many insurance companies raising prices or refusing to issue policies in disaster-prone areas, several families without coverage are now scrambling to find resources and assistance. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Hurricane Milton, the planet’s strongest storm this year, is expected to deliver severe impacts as it barrels toward Florida. While the storm strengthened to a Category 5 on Monday, forecasts show it will fluctuate in intensity before ultimately making landfall Wednesday as a Category 3. Milton’s dangerous eye and eyewall could come ashore anywhere from Cedar Key in the north to Naples in the south, possibly in the Tampa or Fort Myers areas. More than 12 million people are under hurricane watches and warnings, and over 8 million are under tropical storm watches. Many flights in the region have been canceled and a mass exodus is occurring along roads as thousands follow mandatory evacuation orders ahead of Milton’s arrival. Former President Donald Trump on Monday suggested undocumented immigrants who commit murder have “bad genes.” Trump’s dehumanizing rhetoric is another example of the former president trying to stoke fears about those in the country illegally. In a radio interview on “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” Trump again distorted statistics on immigration and crime to attack Vice President Kamala Harris as he falsely claimed she was “allowing people to come through an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers.” Separately, Harris discussed immigration in a wide-ranging “60 Minutes” interview that aired Monday. She maintained migration is a “long-standing problem” when asked about the Biden administration’s approach to immigration policies but refused to answer whether officials should’ve cracked down sooner. Israel will “continue to fight,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks. A year into the war in Gaza, Israel’s goals — including toppling Hamas, returning the hostages in Gaza to Israel, and returning Israelis displaced by fighting with Hezbollah to their homes — seem far from reach. On Monday, Israel intercepted dozens of strikes from multiple directions, including projectiles launched from Gaza and Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has issued fresh evacuation orders to residents in Gaza as it ramps up its military operation in parts of the battered enclave. However, Palestinian residents who spoke with CNN said they fear there is no safe place to take shelter. American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the US, announced Monday that it was the victim of a cyberattack, prompting the firm to pause billing to customers. The New Jersey-based company — which provides services to more than 14 million people in 14 states and on 18 military installations — said it became aware of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and immediately took protective steps, including shutting down certain systems. American Water said staffers were working “around the clock” to investigate the nature and scope of the attack. The company also said customers will not face late charges while its systems are unavailable.