At least nine people died as a result of Hurricane Milton after it slammed into Florida’s west coast on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm.
The news comes as approximately 11 million people are at risk of flash and river flooding, NBC News reported on Thursday, noting that a record number of tornadoes also wreaked havoc in several areas.
“Four deaths have been confirmed in St. Lucie County on Florida’s Atlantic coast, where officials said tornadoes touched down. St. Petersburg police confirmed there were two storm-related deaths in their city. Volusia County Sheriff Michael J. Chitwood confirmed three people died in his jurisdiction,” the article read.
According to the Associated Press (AP), there were 150 tornadoes as a result of the storm.
“As dawn broke Thursday, storm-surge warnings were still posted for much of the east-central Florida coast and north into Georgia. Tropical storm warnings were in place along the coast into South Carolina,” the report said.
“Officials in the hard-hit Florida counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota and Lee urged people to stay home, warning of downed power lines, trees in roads, blocked bridges and flooding,” per the outlet.
Video footage shows the dangerous storm when it initially hit Florida and tore the roof off of Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays. In St. Petersburg, a construction crane fell to the ground:
The storm came as residents were still recovering in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s landfall two weeks prior, Breitbart News reported on Thursday.
Regarding Hurricane Milton, Breitbart News said, “In Clearwater on the west coast, emergency crews in rescue boats were out at first light, plucking stranded residents trapped in their homes by more than a meter of floodwater.”
“As the eye of the storm exited the peninsula, communities were still contending with strong winds, heavy rainfall, and the risk of flash floods,” it added.
In a social media post just after 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) said over 50,000 linemen were in Florida to help restore power and also urged residents to be cautious due to hazards the storm left behind.
“FDOT [Florida Department of Transportation] is leading Cut and Toss operations to clear roadways, and 150 inspectors have begun performing inspections to ensure bridges can reopen safely in impacted areas,” he wrote:
“If you do not live in the area, do not attempt to travel to areas impacted by Hurricane Milton—keep the roadways clear for first responders, FDOT personnel, and utility vehicles,” DeSantis concluded.
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