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At least 17 people have died after Hurricane Milton devastated portions of Florida, as the extent of damage caused becomes clear in the wake of the storm.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday night near Sarasota County’s Siesta Key, spawning dozens of tornadoes, 28ft waves, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and devastating storm surge.
Six people in St Lucie County retirement village have been killed by tornadoes brought on by the hurricane after a dozen twisters spawned in the region within 20 minutes.
About 1.8m homes and businesses in Florida were still without power early on Saturday, with those in the west-central region the worst impacted. More than 50,000 linemen have been deployed in an effort to restore power, governor Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday.
Ferocious winds caused a crane to collapse into The Tampa Bay Times in St Petersburg, while the Tampa Bay Rays that it was “hurt” after the roof of its Tropicana Field stadium was left in disrepair.
All wind and storm surge warnings for Milton have been discontinued after the hurricane exited Florida’s east coast. The National Hurricane Center warned that “hazards remain” from damaged buildings, downed power lines and floodwaters.
‘Significant river flooding’ expected to continue for the coming days to weeks
Hurricane Milton has exited Florida but the risk of flooding from overflowing rivers is expected to continue for days to weeks, the National Weather Service has warned.
“Widespread moderate and major flooding is occurring in Central Florida and St Johns River Basin, with record flooding occurring or forecast to occur at four locations,” the
Southeast River Forecast Center (SERFC) of NWS said.
“River flooding is expected to last for days to weeks.”
While little to no rain is expected in the Southeast for the next several days, river levels are expected to continue rising at many locations due to routed flows from rain that already fell.
Stuti Mishra12 October 2024 06:52
There’s no immediate tropical threat to Florida after Milton
Social media rumors about another storm hitting Florida are untrue, FOX 13 Tampa meteorologists stressed Friday.
“Let’s put it this way: could something develop in the northwestern Caribbean Sea and end up over us in ten days? It’s not a zero percent chance,” Chief Meteorologist Paul Dellegatto said. “But of all the things that could happen, I would say it’s less than 5 or 10 percent.”
Dellegatto emphasized that nothing is currently brewing in the Caribbean Sea, adding that “there’s not even a cloud there.”
Stuti Mishra12 October 2024 06:30
Sailboat owner says ‘all hell broke loose’ while riding out Milton with cat
Longtime Floridian Lenny Lopez told CNN Friday that he feared losing his sailboat after riding out Hurricane Milton at a marina in Ruskin near Tampa Bay.
He was with his cat, Roscoe.
“This storm was blowing so hard that the water was flat, but the wind just shook you like a rag doll,” said Lopez.
Julia Musto12 October 2024 06:00
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport sustains loss of entire roof over concourse B
Julia Musto12 October 2024 05:30
Florida Senator Rick Scott promises state will recover: ‘We will rebuild even stronger’
Julia Musto12 October 2024 05:00
Phosphate mine spill in Tampa Bay after Hurricane Milton
The owner of a major phosphate mine disclosed that pollution spilled into Tampa Bay during the hurricane.
The Mosaic Company said in a statement that heavy rains from the storm overwhelmed a collection system at its Riverview site, pushing excess water out of a manhole and into discharges that lead to the bay. The company said the leak was fixed on Thursday.
Mosaic said the spill likely exceeded a 17,500-gallon minimum reporting standard, though it did not provide a figure for what the total volume might have been.
Stuti Mishra12 October 2024 04:39
Congressman tours Holmes Beach destruction: ‘Heartbreaking’
Julia Musto12 October 2024 04:30
91-year-old woman rescued from Hillsborough County home
Julia Musto12 October 2024 04:00
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell says agency will need supplemental funding from Congress
FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell told reporters Friday that her agency will need more funding passed soon.
“The Disaster Relief Fund certainly does not have enough money to continue recoveries for everything that I have through the entire fiscal year,” Criswell said.
“We’re assessing every day how much it’s drawing down on that so I can continue to work with my leadership as well as Congress as far as when we will need a supplemental,” she said. “We will need one. It’s just a matter of when.”
Julia Musto12 October 2024 03:30
DeSantis says portions of Manasota Key Island are ‘unpassable’
Julia Musto12 October 2024 03:00