Hurricane Milton has left a devastating trail across Florida, uprooting trees, tearing off roofs, and flooding streets. The storm made landfall on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, as a Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key on the state’s western coast, with winds reaching 120 mph (193 km/h). This comes just two weeks after the state endured the deadly Hurricane Helene, which claimed over 200 lives.
More than three million homes and businesses lost power as Milton ravaged Florida’s coast. The storm also triggered tornadoes, including one that struck a retirement community on the east coast, resulting in multiple unconfirmed fatalities.
In a statement, St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson reported tornado damage in the Spanish Lakes community, where lives were lost. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the hurricane’s impacts, while officials from both parties are closely monitoring the state’s recovery efforts ahead of the November 5 presidential election.
The storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane as it moved inland but continued to cause significant damage. Central Florida, including the Orlando area, faced strong winds, flash flooding, and infrastructure disruptions, with closures affecting the Orlando International Airport and major theme parks like Disney World.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to stay indoors, warning of the dangers posed by floodwaters and storm surges, some of which reached up to 12 feet in coastal areas like Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Fort Myers.
Hurricane Milton struck just after Florida was still recovering from Hurricane Helene, one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history. With the state’s ground still saturated from Helene, residents and businesses, like Randy Prior’s pool company, faced heightened anxiety as the storm battered communities already in the midst of recovery.
Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of such storms to rising global temperatures, which fuel extreme weather patterns, including heavy rainfall and destructive hurricanes.
As recovery efforts continue, Florida faces a long road ahead to rebuild from the devastation brought by Milton and Helene.
