Hurricane Milton slammed into the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm, unleashing powerful winds, a deadly storm surge, and widespread flooding across the state. The cyclone later weakened to a Category 1 as it traversed through Florida. The National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (205 kph) upon landfall in Siesta Key, south of Tampa Bay, affecting densely populated areas like Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
The aftermath of Hurricane Milton’s rampage left over 3 million homes and businesses without power in central Florida by early Thursday morning. Hardee, Sarasota, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties bore the brunt of the outages on Florida’s central Gulf Coast.
The storm’s sustained wind speed reduced to 90 mph (145 kph) as it moved east of Lakeland through the central peninsula, according to the National Weather Service. Hurricane Milton spawned several destructive tornadoes that wreaked havoc over Florida communities, adding to the dangers posed by heavy rainfall and storm surges causing flooding in coastal regions.
By early Thursday morning near Fort Meade, approximately 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of Tampa, the hurricane maintained sustained winds of around 100 mph (160 kph). The storm was projected to continue its trajectory eastward towards the Atlantic Ocean, while causing heavy rainfall and leading the weather service to issue a flash flood emergency statement for west-central Florida.
In St. Petersburg, reports emerged of multiple collapsed cranes due to high winds, with one confirmed collapse near the city’s pier. Energy disruptions affected over 2 million customers, with widespread outages in Hardee, Sarasota, Manatee, and Pinellas counties. The city of St. Petersburg faced a water shortage after a broken main forced the temporary shutdown of drinking water services.
Search and rescue operations commenced following dangerous tornadoes that destroyed about 125 homes before Hurricane Milton’s landfall, notably affecting mobile home communities for senior citizens. Efforts to address structural damage and power outages were compounded by the storm’s aftermath, with charitable contributions, such as Taylor Swift’s $5 million donation through Feeding America, supporting relief initiatives in impacted regions.
Hurricane Milton’s trajectory through central Florida continued to pose threats of devastating rains, damaging winds, and storm surges, with warnings in effect for Florida’s coastal areas. As the storm’s impact unfolded, emergency services in Pasco County were suspended in response to the hazardous conditions, underscoring the urgency and challenges faced in addressing the catastrophic aftermath.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp urged coastal residents to prepare for the storm’s impact, with the entire Georgia coast under a tropical storm warning, while recalling the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Helene just weeks prior. Reflecting on Milton’s intensified path and the ongoing humanitarian response to the disaster, Florida and neighboring states braced for the prolonged impact and recovery efforts in the wake of the devastating storm.
