Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida’s Siesta Key area as a Category 3 storm, bringing with it devastating winds of over 100 mph and a barrage of 150 tornadoes. The storm caused at least four deaths, compounded the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene, and spared Tampa a direct hit by changing course southwards. The situation in the Tampa area remained a major emergency, with St Petersburg recording over 16 inches of rain, prompting warnings of flash flooding. Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, suffered significant damage, with its fabric roof torn to shreds.
As the storm made landfall, tornadoes struck across the state, particularly in the Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce, where four people were killed and 125 homes destroyed. The storm’s arrival was preceded by heavy rain and tornadoes lashing parts of southern Florida, causing conditions to deteriorate throughout the day. The risk of catastrophic flooding was high, with six to 12 inches of rain expected well inland.
Hurricane Milton (Image via Getty)
Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders across 15 Florida counties with a total population of about 7.2 million people, warning that anyone staying behind would have to fend for themselves as first responders were not expected to risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm. The storm caused widespread power outages, affecting over three million homes and businesses. As of early Thursday, Milton was downgraded to a Category 1 storm, with maximum sustained winds of about 85 mph as it churned about 35 miles south of Orlando.
The storm’s impact was not limited to the coast, with heavy rains expected to cause flooding inland along rivers and lakes. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the storm as significant but not the “worst case scenario”, saying that the worst storm surge appeared to be in Sarasota County, where it was eight to 10 feet. As the day progressed, officials will better understand the extent of the damage, but it is evident that Hurricane Milton has left a trail of devastation in its wake.
