Category 3 storm, Hurricane Milton continues to ravage communities across Florida. Officials in St. Lucie, Tampa, Pinellas, and Hillsborough have urged civilians to “stay put” and “not travel” beyond their current whereabouts. The storm has caused “countywide” devastation resulting in the severe destruction of property and four deaths in St. Lucie County in the last few hours. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warned, “At 7:00 [GMT-4] this morning when high tide comes in, rivers are going to flood all over Hillsborough County, not just in the city of Tampa.”
Hurricane Milton marks the third hurricane to make landfall in Florida in 2024. The Category 3 storm made landfall near Siesta Key in Florida, bringing sustained winds with speeds up to 120 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The center warned civilians the “life-threatening storm surge will continue. More than a million civilians were stranded without electricity in their homes or shelters. A flash flood warning was issued by the center for Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater.
CNN’s Brian Todd reported an additional six inches of rain in Tampa, causing water levels to surpass the eight-inch mark. Milton wreaks havoc on Florida’s sewage infrastructure, causing drains, sewers, and canals to overflow into the streets. The NHC reported a wind gust of 100 mph at a weather station in Egmont Channel at the entrance of Tampa Bay. The Florida Division of Emergency Management alerted civilians “not to walk out into receding water in Tampa Bay; the water WILL return through storm surge and poses a life-threatening risk.”
President Joe Biden spoke to Florida’s Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert, and US Representatives Gus Bilirakis and Kathy Castor on Wednesday night, hours before Hurricane Miton made landfall. The White House said, “The President also emphasized that he will be with them and their communities before, during, and after the storm—no matter how long it takes.”
Our Administration will be with the people of Florida for as long as it takes to rescue, recover, and rebuild from Hurricane Milton. pic.twitter.com/mZnFseLVqw
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 10, 2024
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) told Floridians to “stay put” as Miton continues to chart its course across the state. Deanne Criswell, FEMA administrator, confirmed that nearly 70,000 people are seeking refuge in shelters, a clear indication that residents abided by state orders to evacuate from the eye of the storm.
