Rescue teams worked tirelessly on Thursday to save Florida residents stranded by Hurricane Milton, which wreaked havoc on coastal communities, demolishing homes, clogging streets with mud, and generating a series of deadly tornadoes.
Rescue teams worked tirelessly on Thursday to save Florida residents stranded by Hurricane Milton, which wreaked havoc on coastal communities, demolishing homes, clogging streets with mud, and generating a series of deadly tornadoes. The storm has claimed at least sixteen lives, according to CBS news.
Just two weeks after the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, Milton knocked out power for over 3 million customers, flooded barrier islands, ripped the roof off a baseball stadium, and toppled a construction crane.
Among the most remarkable rescues, Hillsborough County officers discovered a 14-year-old boy floating on a piece of fence and safely brought him aboard their boat. Additionally, a Coast Guard helicopter crew saved a man who had been clinging to an ice chest in the Gulf of Mexico after his fishing boat was left stranded in the stormy waters. The agency estimated that he had endured winds of 75 to 90 mph (121 to 145 kph) and waves reaching 25 feet (7.6 meters) during his night at sea.
Drone video captures devastation from Hurricane Milton in Grove City and Manasota Key, Florida. pic.twitter.com/Wu8i1FlaOF
— AccuWeather (@accuweather)Despite the extensive damage, many residents felt a sense of relief that Hurricane Milton wasn't more catastrophic. The hurricane avoided a direct strike on Tampa, and the deadly storm surge that scientists had anticipated never occurred.
In its final hours, the storm shifted south and made landfall late Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane in Siesta Key, approximately 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa. While damage was extensive and water levels may continue to rise for several days, Governor Ron DeSantis stated that it was not "the worst-case scenario."
“You face two hurricanes in a couple of weeks — not easy to go through — but I’ve seen a lot of resilience throughout this state,” the governor told a briefing in Sarasota. He said he was “very confident that this area is going to bounce back very, very quickly.”
Governor DeSantis announced Thursday afternoon that at least 340 people and 49 pets have been rescued in the ongoing recovery efforts.
WATCH: Drone video showed the severity of the damage caused by Hurricane Milton in Florida as it created a deadly path of destruction across the state.
Read more: https://t.co/qYTui9DZWU pic.twitter.com/COqwKZjtkY
The most severe storm surge was reported in Sarasota County, measuring between 8 to 10 feet (2.5 to 3 meters)—lower than the highest recorded during Hurricane Helene. Additionally, the storm brought up to 18 inches (45 centimeters) of rain to certain areas.
Officials in the severely affected counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, and Lee urged residents to remain indoors, citing hazards such as downed power lines, fallen trees blocking roads, impassable bridges, and flooding.
Among the numerous tornadoes that touched down was one that struck the small barrier island of Matlacha, located just off Fort Myers. This fishing and tourism village also experienced a surge, with many of its vibrant buildings suffering significant damage.
In contrast, city workers on Anna Maria Island expressed relief as they picked up debris Thursday morning without having to wade through floodwaters. This came two weeks after Hurricane Helene battered buildings and deposited piles of sand up to 6 feet (1.8 m) high. Jeremi Roberts of the State Emergency Response Team noted that those sand piles may have helped protect homes from additional damage.
Hurricane Helene caused significant flooding in streets and homes throughout western Florida, resulting in at least 230 fatalities across the South. In many coastal areas, municipalities hurried to collect and dispose of debris before Hurricane Milton's winds and storm surge could scatter it and worsen the damage.
Power outages affected much of the state, leaving over 3.4 million homes and businesses without electricity, according to poweroutage.us, which monitors utility reports.
The fierce winds tore the fabric roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, leaving debris scattered across the field.
Drone footage captured Tampa Bay Rays’ collapsed roof due to Hurricane Milton 😳
(via sohailbholaphoto/IG) pic.twitter.com/7lKeBrREYv
Drone footage shows devastation, search and rescue efforts after Milton Hurricane in Florida, US https://t.co/s4JB5ZW8KH
🎥: Lokman Vural Elibol pic.twitter.com/wnuwPt1gan
Approximately 80,000 people sought refuge in shelters, while thousands more evacuated after authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders across 15 Florida counties, affecting about 7.2 million residents.
In Punta Gorda, a 10-foot (3-meter) surge from the Peace River inundated the historic district, damaging homes and leaving six boats scattered along a riverside street. This marked the third surge to impact the neighborhood in just three months.
By Thursday afternoon, Hurricane Milton had moved into the Atlantic Ocean as a post-tropical cyclone with winds of 75 mph (120 kph)—just above hurricane strength.
Crossing the bridge from the mainland to Anna Maria Island early Thursday, Police Chief John Cosby let out a sigh of relief. Nearly all residents had evacuated, there were no reported injuries or fatalities, and the anticipated storm surge failed to materialize. After worrying that his police department would be submerged, he was grateful to find it remained dry.