Damage has been wrecked across the region and water levels may continue to rise for days, but governor Ron DeSantis said it was not ‘the worst-case scenario’.
A total of ten people have now been confirmed dead, including five who were killed in tornadoes in St Lucie County. A further two were reported dead in St Petersburg, and another was killed after a tree fell through a roof in Volusia County. This figure may still rise as rescuers hunt through debris in the area.
More than 3.3million homes and businesses are now without power while surge warnings are still being issued for much of the east-central coast of Florida and northward into Georgia. Tropical storm warnings are also in place along the coast into South Carolina.
The raging tempest landed last night as a Category 3 hurricane, sending 28ft waves, at least 27 tornadoes and a thundering storm surge spiraling across the region. It is no longer classed as a hurricane, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, but wind speeds of 75 miles per hour continue to blast the state.
Florida governor DeSantis has said that he expects supermarkets and petrol stations to reopen soon, as the authorities bring more fuel into the state. Walt Disney World, in storm-battered Orlando, will reopen tomorrow – just two days after they closed their doors to tourists.
More than 6,500 National guard are now supporting response efforts as they work to clear debris and try and return communities to their homes.
There were fears Tampa would be battered by the eye of the storm before Milton tracked south, sparing the city of some 3.1 million a direct hit – but the region was still plunged into a state of major emergency.
The city itself saw significant and St. Petersburg recorded over 16 inches (41 centimetres) of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of flash flooding there as well as other parts of western and central Florida.
Further south, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office reported localised flooding and storm surge, and Lorraine Anderson, the public information officer for Venice Beach, said the area saw an estimated 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2 meters) of storm surge.
Officials in the hard-hit Florida counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota and Lee urged people to stay home, warning of downed power lines, trees in roads, blocked bridges and flooding.
Tampa mayor Jane Castor added she was pleased the area did not see storm surges close to the predicted levels of 15 feet, which could have submerged entire houses.
But she urged residents to stay inside and warned that ‘it’s not over’, insisting that Hillsborough County could flood as the high tide returned from 7am EST.
Meanwhile, some evacuees who were fortunate enough to make their way back into their properties after leaving shelters today were met with a terrifying surprise.
Milton arrived in Siesta Key near Sarasota as a Category 3 storm overnight and whipped eastwards, pounding towns and cities with ferocious winds rain and a barrage of tornadoes before exiting over Orlando and into the Atlantic Ocean late this morning.
It has compounded the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago, with the death toll expected to rise in the coming days as rescue efforts reveal the true extent of Milton’s fury.
The storm also knocked out power across a large section of Florida, with more than 3.2 million homes and businesses reportedly left without electricity and in some cases water.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis said on Thursday morning that the aftermath of Hurricane Milton was not ‘the worst case scenario’.
He told reporters that the worst storm surge appeared to be in Sarasota County, where it was 8 to 10 feet – less than the highest levels recorded during Hurricane Helene two weeks ago.
He added crews across the state spent the night clearing debris, and confirmed that President Joe Biden’s administration had agreed to all of Florida’s request for emergency assistance.
‘Our state is a peninsula in the middle of a tropical environment. I mean, we are just built to be able to respond to hurricanes,’ DeSantis said.
‘We’ll survey the damage and get people on their feet. We’ll get through this.’
Milton also spawned at least 19 tornadoes, the governor said, causing damage in numerous counties and destroying around 125 homes, most of them mobile homes.
Meanwhile, officials in Sarasota said: ‘We know everyone is eager to see how our community fared following Hurricane Milton.
‘At this time, please stay where you are and continue to shelter in place. It is not safe to venture outside yet.’
Milton’s eye slammed into Siesta Key near Sarasota, about 70 miles (112 kilometres) south of Tampa, battering houses, overturning vehicles and sucking debris into the air.
The Sheriff of St. Lucie County revealed that ‘multiple fatalities’ were caused when the area was ravaged by a tornado heralding Milton’s arrival.
They died when the twisters hit the Spanish Lakes Country Club in Fort Pierce, where many had been sheltering.
After making landfall, Milton began rumbling east, ripping up everything in its path before tearing apart the roof of Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team in St. Petersburg.
Shocking images showed gaping holes in the fabric that serves as the domed building’s roof, suggesting the stadium may well have been ravaged.
Meanwhile, a tower block housing the offices of the Tampa Bay Times suffered massive damage when a crane was toppled and smashed into its facade, ripping through several stories and sending debris tumbling into the streets below.
At least 117 tornado warnings were issued in communities across the state overnight and into this morning, with dozens reported to have materialised and wrought havoc.
Dr Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards in Nottingham Trent University, explained Florida’s building codes mean the majority of structures are built to withstand incredible forces – but he said there are thousands of houses that could’ve sustained significant damage.
‘With Milton making landfall to the south, Tampa Bay appears thankfully to have escaped its worst-case scenario with respect to storm surge but considerable wind damage is likely to have been sustained and the area has some of the highest density housing in Florida.
‘Building codes introduced across the state following the devastation brought by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 have made a real difference but it is estimated that over 800,000 homes in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties were built before the adoption of more robust, wind-resistant construction.’
Source: Dailymail
