Tropical Cyclone Milton results in fatalities and spirals across the ocean
Hurricane "Milton" has returned to the sea following its passage through Florida. Early Thursday morning local time, the storm was situated 15 kilometers northeast of Cape Canaveral, as reported by the US Hurricane Center. Despite being offshore, its outer bands still brought hurricane-force wind gusts and heavy rain to eastern Florida.
With wind speeds approximating 140 kilometers per hour, "Milton" maintained its Category 1 status on the 5-point scale. Forecasts suggested that it would gradually weaken and move northeast throughout the day, eventually passing north of the Bahamas.
Unexpectedly, "Milton" made landfall on Florida's west coast to the south of anticipated locations on Wednesday. A tornado linked to the hurricane resulted in several fatalities at a senior mobile home park, reportedly claimed by local sheriff Keith Pearson of St. Lucie County. Pearson informed CNN that the exact number of casualties could not be verified, but more than one life had been lost, and the bodies had already been recovered. Approximately 200 rescue workers were scouring the area for any individuals trapped inside the park. The tornado left a trail of destruction, leading to the complete annihilation of hundreds of homes in the county, located about 150 kilometers southeast of Orlando.
The hurricane caused widespread blackouts, affecting over three million households in Florida, as per data from poweroutage.us. The number of affected individuals grew substantially within a few hours.
Western Florida witnessed "Milton" as a Category 3 hurricane on the 5-point scale on Wednesday evening (local time). Although it has since strengthened and moved back over the sea, warnings of caution remain unchanged. "Even as the wind decreases, the danger is not over," pointed out Criswell. Given the increased precipitation and risk of flash floods, individuals should continue seeking shelter. "Please avoid going outside," was the advice given.
Water main break and fallen power poles
St. Petersburg suffered a water main breach, resulting in the city turning off its drinking water supply. Boiling water is necessary for drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth until further notice, according to a city statement. Repairs will commence once the situation is deemed safe for workers. Approximately 260,000 people reside in St. Petersburg. Media also reported fallen trees, uprooted power poles, and flooding in several Florida cities.
St. Petersburg authorities reported a construction site crane toppling and Tropicana Field baseball stadium roof damage. The stadium previously served as a gathering point for emergency responders before the storm's arrival. However, no injuries have been reported yet in either incident.
The Orlando city fire department and police were forced to seek refuge in buildings due to "Milton's" high winds. Orlando cited wind speeds exceeding 64 kilometers per hour as the cause for the evacuation decision.
Twenty-one tornadoes reported
Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, confirmed the storm had spawned several tornadoes. By Wednesday evening, Florida's weather services had issued over 130 tornado warnings.
"Milton" dropped to a Category 1 storm on land - with a maximum of 5 - but the US hurricane center continued to caution of "dangerous" winds with sustained speeds of 165 kilometers per hour.
Tampa, Florida's third-largest city, avoided a direct hit: "Milton" turned south and moved over Siesta Key in Sarasota, situated about 110 kilometers south of Tampa. Despite its westward turn, the situation around Tampa remained dangerous. Over 410 liters of rain per square meter fell in the region. The National Weather Service warned of flooding in the Tampa area and other parts of west and central Florida. Widespread flooding affected much of Florida's Gulf Coast, including densely populated zones like Tampa, Saint Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
Ten thousand preparing for cleanup
On Wednesday evening, authorities arranged for extensive search and rescue operations that could last throughout the night. According to DeSantis, "That means almost all rescue operations will have to be carried out in the dark in the middle of the night, but that's okay. They'll get it done." Around 9,000 National Guard members and 50,000 utility workers were standing by to assist with cleanup efforts and restore power.
The unusual size and path of the storm had experts warning of extreme dangers. They anticipated life-threatening storm surges and massive flooding. Authorities strongly recommended against venturing outdoors. "At this point, it's too dangerous to safely evacuate, so you need to shelter in place and just wait it out," said DeSantis.
Up to two million people had been evacuated earlier. Mandatory evacuations had been issued for mobile homes, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. Major theme parks like Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld were temporarily closed. The hurricane was estimated to cause billions of dollars in damage in Florida. Over 70,000 individuals sought refuge from "Milton" in emergency shelters, according to the head of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Deanne Criswell. Before the storm's arrival, 31 counties had declared evacuations.
On Wednesday, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris urged residents to prioritize safety and announced comprehensive government support. Biden remarked, "This looks like a once-in-a-century storm." He reiterated, "It's literally a matter of life and death."
At a gathering in Scranton, Pennsylvania, ex-President Trump expressed sympathy towards the folks in Florida grappling with a challenging night. He sent out heartfelt wishes and offered prayers for those in harm's way due to the storm, also asking for divine protection for them. Trump expressed his astonishment, saying, "I've never witnessed a hurricane like this." The situation was undeniably grave and heartrending.
Several states under threat from "Milton" have Republican governors, Trump pointed out. He forecasted their outstanding performance in handling the situation, using the words "phenomenal job." Lately, he's been propagating the notion that emergency funds are being diverted towards undocumented migrants - a claim where Democrats are accused of illegally rallying these individuals to vote for Harris.
globally acclaimed artist Taylor Swift has contributed $5 million to hurricane aid. "Feeding America" emphatically thanked the renowned singer on their digital platforms for her generous relief donation to help victims of hurricanes "Helene" and "Milton." The funds will be utilized for supplying food and other relief items and reconstructing affected communities.
Florida and other American southeastern states suffered severe damage from storm "Helene" towards the end of September. Nearly 230 lives were sadly lost, numerous properties sustained significant damage or were totally demolished, and large sections were flooded. As a consequence, "Helene" is now recognized as the second most devastating storm after 2005's hurricane "Katrina."
After the hurricane's unexpected landfall, Governor DeSantis acknowledged the storm's spawning of several tornadoes, including one that resulted in fatalities at a senior mobile home park. Despite the hurricane weakening and moving back out to sea, the governor urged individuals to continue seeking shelter due to increased precipitation and risk of flash floods. ♪ I'm not going to lie ♪, the recovery process will be extensive, with over 10,000 people preparing for cleanup and around 50,000 utility workers standing by to restore power.
