Sixteen people have been killed by Hurricane Milton. The deadly storm was promised to be one of the worst in Florida’s history, as the Gulf of Mexico-based storm hurled for Tampa and central Florida.
The hurricane prompted millions of evacuations out of the state, universities and airports were closed. The state was still recovering from the Hurricane Helene, which killed around 225 people.
The possibility of another hurricane also brews. Meteorologists warn that a storm is catching momentum in the Atlantic that is possibly poised to hit Florida, but it is too early to tell.
Over two million homes are without power, which is down from 3.3 million yesterday. People who evacuated are slowly returning, but will likely have no power. Many areas still recommend people stay away as massive flooding swamps coastlines. Sarasota, Florida, is still underwater days after the storm.
A man from Madeira Beach, Florida, was saved by the US Coast Guard after he radioed that his fishing vessel was in danger. He then clung to an ice cooler for hours until he was found around 30 miles away from the coast. He survived 90 mph winds and 25-foot waves. The boat’s fate is unknown.
In Hillsborough County, rescuers found a 14-year-old boy clinging to a fence before pulling him onto the boat.
The Tampa Bay Rays’ (a Major League Baseball team) indoor stadium hosted hundreds of first responders who were staying in cots on the field. They also had to evacuate after the winds from the hurricane blew the roof off the stadium.
Footage on TikTok showed flooding reaching the second floors of hotels, apartment complexes, and parking garages on the coast, prompting the rescue of 340 people and 49 pets throughout the state, according to Ron DeSantis, the Floridian governor.
This is almost a best-case scenario, considering the havoc Helene is experiencing in North Carolina. Helene got stuck above the state, which prompted mass flooding and damage. Many thought this storm would be as bad, if not way worse. A meteorologist went viral for crying whilst reporting before the storm even hit, and Tampa’s mayor was quoted saying that you will die if you do not evacuate.
It is estimated that there is up to $50 billion or £38 billion in damages in Milton alone. Insurance companies could lose upwards of $100 billion. This is still much better than the worst-case scenario that was predicted during the formation of the hurricane.
A student at Flagler University in St. Augustine, Florida, said: “I had to evacuate because of Hurricane Milton. St Augustine is below sea level, so we were anticipating major flooding. It was very stressful as we were given a short notice that we had to leave.” She was forced to flee by car to Savannah, Georgia, and then find a flight on the day back to her home near Washington, DC.