Hurricane Milton Ravages Florida: Impact, Devastation, and Response

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Milton made a fierce landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday, battering the region with destructive winds and severe weather. Just weeks after Hurricane Helene ravaged the state, Milton brought renewed misery with winds exceeding 100 mph (160 kph) and a series of devastating tornadoes, but Tampa narrowly escaped a direct hit.

Landfall and Path of Destruction

In the final hours, Hurricane Milton shifted southward, making landfall in Siesta Key near Sarasota, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa. While the city of Tampa was spared the brunt of the storm, the surrounding areas were not as fortunate. St. Petersburg, one of the major cities in the Tampa Bay area, saw over 16 inches (41 centimeters) of rainfall, prompting the National Weather Service to issue dire warnings of flash flooding.

Hurricane Helene photos show Florida reeling from ‘catastrophic’ surge Credit: Globalnews

The famed Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, suffered significant damage. Television footage revealed the venue’s fabric dome had been ripped apart, although it was unclear if the interior of the stadium had sustained further damage. For a city still grappling with the aftermath of Helene, Milton’s destruction compounded an already challenging recovery process.

Widespread Power Outages and Tornadoes

Milton’s impact was far-reaching. Over 2 million homes and businesses were left without power, with Hardee, Sarasota, and Manatee counties bearing the worst of the outages. According to poweroutage.us, a utility tracker, the situation remains fluid, as many regions struggle to restore electricity amidst the chaos.

Before Hurricane Milton even touched land, Florida was plagued by a wave of tornadoes. Some of the most severe impacts were felt on the Atlantic Coast at the Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce. Homes were leveled, and lives were lost. St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed fatalities, although he refrained from releasing specific numbers.

The toll of destruction was particularly severe in communities made up of mobile homes, many of which cater to senior citizens. Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, reported that around 125 homes were destroyed by tornadoes before the hurricane even made landfall.

Hurricane’s Path and Downgrade

Approximately 90 minutes after hitting Siesta Key, Milton was downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane, although it continued to pack sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph). Despite its downgrade, the storm remained dangerous, with storm surge warnings issued for both Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic coastlines.

As the storm pushed inland, it was expected to bring heavy rainfall, flooding rivers and lakes across Florida’s interior. Areas like Orlando, a major metropolitan hub and popular tourist destination, were expected to face severe weather conditions throughout Wednesday and into Thursday as Milton traversed the peninsula before reemerging over the Atlantic.

A Region Still Recovering

The arrival of Hurricane Milton came just two weeks after Hurricane Helene left devastation in its wake. Helene flooded streets and homes across western Florida and killed at least 230 people in southern states. Communities along the Gulf Coast were already stretched thin as they scrambled to clean up debris before Milton’s arrival.

Many officials feared that remnants of Helene’s destruction could worsen Milton’s impact. For example, debris scattered across streets, homes, and beaches could be carried by Milton’s strong winds, creating additional hazards for residents and rescuers alike.

Urgent Evacuation Orders

Authorities issued evacuation orders to over 7.2 million residents across 15 Florida counties, urging them to leave immediately or face grave danger. Cathie Perkins, Pinellas County’s emergency management director, warned of dire consequences for those who remained: “This is it, folks. Those of you who were punched during Hurricane Helene, this is going to be a knockout. You need to get out, and you need to get out now.”

As the storm approached, some areas announced they had suspended emergency services due to the extreme conditions. By late afternoon, the time to flee had passed, and officials advised residents to hunker down and ride out the storm.

A Personal Struggle for Residents

For many Floridians, deciding whether to evacuate or stay was not easy. Jackie Curnick, a resident of Sarasota just north of where the storm made landfall, faced this dilemma. With a two-year-old son and another baby due in late October, Curnick and her husband initially planned to evacuate. However, they struggled to find available or affordable hotel rooms. As concerns over road safety, gas shortages, and shelter availability mounted, they ultimately decided to stay home.

“The thing is, it’s so difficult to evacuate on a peninsula,” Curnick explained. “In most other states, you can go in any direction to get out. In Florida, there are only so many roads that take you north or south.”

Statewide Response

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Tallahassee to assure Floridians that resources were being deployed. Over 9,000 National Guard members from Florida and neighboring states had been mobilized, and more than 50,000 utility workers were en route to restore power. Highway patrols were also escorting gasoline tankers to replenish stations to prevent fuel shortages.

Despite these efforts, DeSantis acknowledged the likelihood of fatalities, saying, “Unfortunately, there will be fatalities. I don’t think there’s any way around that.”

Aftermath and Lingering Risks

As heavy rain and tornadoes continued to lash parts of southern Florida on Wednesday, the risk of catastrophic flooding loomed over much of the state. Some areas could see between six to 18 inches (15 to 46 centimeters) of rainfall, with even greater amounts possible inland.

Airlines canceled approximately 1,900 flights, and popular theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando closed their doors by Wednesday afternoon. SeaWorld suspended operations for the entire day. Gas shortages were reported in Tampa and St. Petersburg, where over 60% of gas stations were out of fuel by late afternoon, according to GasBuddy.

A Test of Strength

In Gulfport, located on the Tampa Bay coastline, Christian Burke and his family opted to stay in their three-story concrete home designed by his father to withstand a Category 5 storm. As police vehicles patrolled the streets, urging residents to evacuate, Burke admitted that staying put might not have been the best decision, though he remained hopeful that their home would hold.

With Hurricane Milton leaving a trail of destruction, Floridians are now bracing for a lengthy recovery process, hoping that the worst has passed but knowing that the full extent of the damage may not be revealed for days.

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