Death Toll from Hurricane Milton Rises as Recovery Efforts Continue Across Florida

The death toll from Hurricane Milton has climbed to at least 14, with another fatality reported in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa. According to CNN, a woman in her late 70s died while working on restoration efforts following the hurricane. The incident occurred just after 11:00 am ET on Thursday when a large tree branch fell on her, as stated in a news release from the city. "Although the storm has passed, its devastation has tragically taken the life of one of our community members," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said. "Our thoughts are with the family as they grieve their loved one."

The storm, initially classified as a Category 5 hurricane, made landfall as a Category 3, as reported by Al Jazeera. More than 2.9 million utility customers across Florida remain without power. Tornado warnings have also been issued for various cities, in addition to the existing hurricane and storm surge warnings for many of these locations.

St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson told CNN that 25 people were rescued from a mobile home park in the area, where six people lost their lives. Authorities are continuing their search through the rubble of destroyed homes to locate others, though the search conditions remain challenging. Officials did not specify how many people they are still trying to find.

US President Joe Biden urged residents to stay safe amid the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. In a post shared on X, he advised people to "stay inside and off the roads" due to the presence of downed power lines, debris, and washed-out roads. He also assured that help was on the way and encouraged people to shelter in place until local authorities declared it safe to move around. In a separate post, Biden expressed support, stating, "As difficult as these past days have been, we've seen incredible courage from so many Americans—first responders, friends, families, and neighbors looking out for one another. To all the people impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene: We've got your back."

Fuel shortages continue to affect the state, with CBS News citing GasBuddy’s report that over 23 percent of Florida gas stations were out of fuel as of Wednesday morning. The situation is particularly severe around the Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg areas, where more than 59 percent of stations reported fuel shortages—a rise compared to the previous night.