Hurricane Milton leaves 16 dead in Florida; rescue operations underway

Making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday night near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, Milton brought about 28-foot waves, powerful winds, heavy rainfall, and a damaging storm surge.

At least 16 people have died following Hurricane Milton’s devastation in Florida, with the extent of damage becoming clearer as recovery efforts begin.

Making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday night, October 9, near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, Milton brought about 28-foot waves, powerful winds, heavy rainfall, and a damaging storm surge.

Millions remain in dark after Hurricane Milton hits Florida

Approximately 3 million homes and businesses in Florida were left without power, particularly in the west-central region, which was hit hardest. In an attempt to restore electricity, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the deployment of over 50,000 utility workers.

As crews worked to repair downed power lines and cell towers, residents armed with chainsaws cleared fallen trees and began mopping up flooded neighbourhoods. The storm’s ferocious winds caused a crane to collapse onto the Tampa Bay Times building in St Petersburg, while the Tampa Bay Rays reported damage to the roof of their Tropicana Field stadium.

Although wind and storm surge warnings have been lifted now that the hurricane has moved off Florida’s east coast, the National Hurricane Center cautioned that hazards remain from damaged structures, downed power lines, and lingering floodwaters.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Eighty-year-old Tampa evacuee Lillian Bicart shared her distress on “CBS Mornings,” stating, “I have to sit down and think what I’m going to do because I lose everything, everything too wet. I never think about this. This is a bad dream, very bad.”

Search and rescue teams on standby

President Biden provided updates on federal aid efforts, urging residents in affected areas to remain cautious and heed local authorities’ instructions. He noted that search and rescue teams were on standby for any calls for help and emphasized the importance of waiting for official clearance before venturing outside, citing past incidents where post-storm conditions led to further casualties.

Biden also called for lawmakers to expedite emergency funding, particularly for small businesses struggling due to the disaster. He expressed concern that the disaster relief fund for business loans is running low but noted he had not yet spoken with house speaker Mike Johnson about reconvening Congress before the upcoming Election Day.

As recovery efforts continue, Florida has entered its second day of search and rescue operations, with urban teams and the Florida National Guard rescuing nearly a thousand individuals since Milton’s landfall. Communities are still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Helene, which struck just two weeks earlier.

Furthermore, the coast guard announced the reopening of several commercial ports, including Key West, Port Everglades, and Port Miami, as well as ports in Georgia and South Carolina.

Additionally, major Florida theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld, planned to reopen on Friday following assessments of the storm’s effects.