Hurricane Milton Devastates Florida: 3 Million Without Power, Flooding, and Fatalities Reported
Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 3 storm, made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction across the state. With winds reaching over 160 km/h, the storm brought life-threatening conditions to cities along the Gulf Coast. Siesta Key near Sarasota took the brunt of the storm, sparing Tampa from a direct hit but causing flash floods in nearby St. Petersburg, where over 41 cm of rain fell. Major damage to Tropicana Field and toppled cranes have left the region in disarray.
Over 3 million homes and businesses were left without power early Thursday, according to poweroutage.us. The hurricane also led to water shortages in St. Petersburg, where residents lost access to household water after a water main break. Before the storm made landfall, tornadoes swept through Florida, destroying homes, particularly in Fort Pierce’s Spanish Lakes Country Club, where multiple fatalities were reported.
Although Milton was downgraded to a Category 2 storm shortly after making landfall and is now a Category 1 as it exits Florida near Cape Canaveral, the threat remains. Heavy rainfall continues to cause inland flooding along rivers and lakes, and the storm is set to impact the Orlando area.
Emergency responders are working tirelessly to assess the full extent of the damage, but the aftermath of Hurricane Milton adds another layer of suffering to a state still recovering from Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.
Source: Swifteradio.com
