Hurricane Milton swept into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, leaving behind a trail of devastation across Florida with powerful winds, rain, and triggering numerous tornadoes.
The storm resulted in at least four fatalities and added to the destruction previously caused by Hurricane Helene, though Tampa was spared the brunt of the impact.
In its final approach, the hurricane shifted southward and struck Siesta Key as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday night, about 70 miles south of Tampa.
Despite significant damage and the potential for rising water levels, Governor Ron DeSantis expressed relief that the situation wasn’t as dire as predicted.
Although Tampa was threatened by a severe storm surge, it ultimately did not occur; however, the area remained in a state of emergency. Governor DeSantis reported that some localities received as much as 18 inches of rain.
According to DeSantis, Sarasota County experienced a storm surge of 8 to 10 feet, which was less severe than the worst affected area during Hurricane Helene.
Governor DeSantis noted, “We will better understand the extent of the damage as the day progresses. The storm was significant but thankfully, this was not the worst-case scenario.”
On Thursday morning, authorities emphasized that dangers still lingered, with storm surge warnings extending along Florida’s east-central coast to Georgia, and tropical storm warnings up to South Carolina.
Local authorities in the Florida counties most impacted, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, and Lee, advised residents to remain indoors due to hazards like fallen power lines and trees, obstructed bridges, and flooding.
Sheriff Chad Chronister of Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located, advised on Facebook, “We’ll inform you when it’s safe to venture outside.”
The storm caused widespread power outages, affecting over 3.2 million homes and businesses throughout Florida, as tracked by poweroutage.us.
The Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg suffered significant damage as high winds tore apart its roof, though it was unclear if the interior was damaged. Before the storm, the venue had been used as a staging area for first responders.
The storm also caused cranes to topple over. A water main break forced St. Petersburg to cut off the residential water supply, and Mayor Ken Welch warned of prolonged power outages and potential sewer system shutdowns.
Plant City experienced severe flooding, described as “absolutely staggering” by City Manager Bill McDaniel. Emergency services rescued 35 individuals overnight, with the city receiving approximately 13.5 inches of rain.
Even before Milton’s landfall, tornadoes caused by heavy rain wreaked havoc in southern Florida, starting early Wednesday.
A tornado traveled through the sparsely populated Everglades and crossed Interstate 75, while another damaged Fort Myers, breaking tree limbs and destroying a gas station’s canopy.
The Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce was severely hit, with multiple homes destroyed and several fatalities.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that four deaths occurred due to the tornadoes at the location.
Before the hurricane’s arrival, about 125 homes were destroyed, predominantly mobile homes in senior communities, reported Kevin Guthrie, the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Shortly after landfall, Milton was downgraded to a Category 2 storm and continued weakening to a Category 1 by early Thursday as it exited near Cape Canaveral.
Two weeks prior to Milton, the region was still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which had caused extensive flooding and at least 230 fatalities. Local authorities began debris clearance efforts in anticipation of further damage from Milton’s impact.
Officials had urgently advised evacuations, and by late afternoon, some had declared it too late to evacuate, advising residents to instead secure themselves safely indoors.