Hurricane Milton continues to ravage Florida leaving a trail of destruction in its wake
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Loading... - Rachael Mukami
- 10 Oct 2024
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Hurricane Milton has left a path of widespread destruction across Florida after making landfall on the state’s west coast on Wednesday evening. The Category 3 storm, with winds peaking at 120 mph (195 kph), struck Siesta Key near Sarasota, quickly causing chaos across the state. As the storm progressed eastward, wind speeds dropped to 90 mph (150 kph), making it a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reached Florida's Atlantic Coast early Thursday, still delivering heavy rain, tornadoes, and storm surges.
Milton’s landfall triggered deadly tornadoes, including one in Fort Pierce, on Florida’s eastern coast, where two fatalities were reported at a retirement community. The tornadoes destroyed about 125 homes, most of them mobile homes. As of early Thursday, nearly 2 million residents were without power, with more damage expected as the storm moved further inland.
In St. Petersburg, the storm tore the roof off Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, and brought down a large construction crane onto an empty street. Flooding affected much of the Tampa Bay area, with parts of St. Petersburg receiving over 16 inches of rain. A flash flood emergency was declared for the region.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reported that the state had seen at least 19 tornadoes as a result of the hurricane and warned of the possibility of severe storm surges, with water levels rising up to 13 feet in some areas. Fortunately, the storm hit before high tide, lessening some of the flooding impact.
The storm also caused logistical challenges, with widespread gasoline shortages as residents evacuated. Animals at Tampa's zoo, including elephants, flamingos, and hippos, remained sheltered as the storm passed. Meanwhile, search-and-rescue teams were prepared to work through the night, with about 9,000 National Guard personnel and 50,000 electrical grid workers ready to assist in recovery efforts.
Despite Hurricane Helene recently striking the region, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reassured that resources for recovery would not be diverted and were prepared to handle both disasters. Governor DeSantis said trucks were operating continuously to clear debris from Hurricane Helene in anticipation of Milton turning those remnants into further hazards.
