Hurricane Milton made landfall at Siesta Key, Florida, around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, packing winds of 120 mph and leaving at least four persons dead and millions without electrical power.
As of 3 a.m. on Thursday, Milton had been downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane as it continued to work its way across Florida, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the northeast portion of the state. By 11 a.m., most of the rain had moved off the east coast of the state.
In a briefing on Thursday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that while the storm was “significant,” it “thankfully, was not the worst-case scenario.” He noted that first responders worked through the night to assist people.
DeSantis noted that state bridge inspection teams were sent out early Thursday morning to ensure that bridges were safe to reopen so that residents who left could begin returning home. The Tampa International Airport is anticipated to resume operations no later than Friday.
However, President Joe Biden took to X on Thursday morning to urge Floridians to “stay inside and off the roads” for now.
“Downed power lines, debris, and road washouts are creating dangerous conditions,” Biden posted on X. “Help is on the way, but until it arrives, shelter in place until your local officials say it’s safe to go out.”
More than 12 inches of rain fell across a large portion of the state, contributing to flooding in many areas. The runoff will cause rivers and waterways in the affected areas to remain high for weeks. According to Kevin Guthrie, the state emergency management director, the St. Johns River could remain elevated for up to 45 days.
As of Thursday morning, some counties were almost completely without power. Officials said that 97% of inland Hardee County, 82% of Manatee County, 75% of Hillsborough and Sarasota counties, and 68% of Pinellas County have no electrical service. Across the state, about 3.4 million customers are currently without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
As further assessments are made, a clearer picture of the damage and destruction will emerge.
Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan said she expects the situation will look “bleak” as search and rescue teams set out to locate those who did not evacuate from the area ahead of the storm.
“I don’t think it’s going to be rescue once the storm subsides … it’s going to be recovery,” Bevan said.
St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway reported two deaths during Hurricane Milton, one of which was a medical death. The other person was found dead in a local park, and the cause of death has not yet been determined.
Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, suffered extensive damage during the storm as strong winds peeled away most of the stadium’s teflon-coated fiberglass roof. Local officials had designated the stadium as a home base camp for first responders to use in the aftermath of the hurricane, but fortunately, it was not in use when the roof was blown off. Only 13 essential personnel were at the stadium, all accounted for and safe.
In St. Lucie County, four persons were killed in the tornadoes that hit the area ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. At least 19 tornados hit the state on Wednesday, and 116 tornado warnings were issued, DeSantis said at a briefing.
