The so-called "worst hurricane of the century" is wreaking havoc as it passes through Florida. There are cities affected by severe flooding, tornadoes caused by the storm ravage the state, more than two million homes and buildings are without electricity, and a multitude of damages have occurred, including the roof of a baseball stadium.
Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County as a category 3 but has since downgraded to a category 1 as it moves through Florida. Nevertheless, its sustained maximum winds of 144 kilometers per hour along with the debris left behind by Helene make it an "extremely dangerous" hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center of the United States.
19 tornadoes have been detected in a region "where they are not common," with a destructive power even greater than hurricanes. "The devastation is total," stated Sheriff Keith Pearson.
Biden stated on Wednesday that his administration would offer support "for as long as necessary to rescue, recover, and rebuild" the areas affected by Milton, the second hurricane to hit Florida in almost two weeks, after being impacted by the powerful Hurricane Helene on September 26.
Hurricane Milton moves northeast over Florida with 135 km/h winds and torrential rains
According to the latest bulletin from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the US, Milton is about 120 kilometers southwest of Orlando, the city of theme parks, and its winds have weakened to 135 km/h, although they remain potentially damaging, reports Efe.
Biden labels Trump's hurricane lies as "un-American"
"Over the past few weeks, there has been a reckless, irresponsible, and relentless spread of misinformation and blatant lies about what is happening," stated the President of the United States, Joe Biden, to the press, emphasizing how these lies are currently endangering people preparing for the impact of Milton in Florida, reports Efe.
Power outages affect nearly 2.8 million
Nearly 2.8 million homes and businesses across Florida are without electricity early Thursday as Hurricane Milton sweeps through the state, according to PowerOutage.us.
The most significant outages have occurred in Sarasota County, where Milton made landfall on Wednesday night.
Intense storm surges in Sarasota
Videos posted on social media show intense storm surges and flooding in Sarasota, Florida. In one video, a person inside a car can be heard saying, "Slow, slow, slow, slow," as the car passes what appears to be the One Sarasota Tower.
Taylor Swift donates $5 million to those affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton
American singer Taylor Swift has donated $5 million in aid to communities affected by the passage of hurricanes Helene, which devastated parts of the southeastern US last week, and Milton, reports Efe.
"We are incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift for her generous donation of $5 million to help the victims of hurricanes Helene and Milton," stated the Feeding America foundation in a press release on Wednesday, aimed at eradicating hunger in the US.
Milton leaves at least two dead
Hurricane Milton has weakened as it passed through Florida and has downgraded to a category one on Thursday, with sustained maximum winds of 144 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour) heading towards the Atlantic, but the emergency, which has already claimed two lives, continues, authorities have warned, reports Efe.
Authorities have confirmed at least two deaths from a tornado related to the cyclone in St. Lucie County on the west coast of Florida.
Hurricane Milton weakens as it moves through central Florida
Hurricane Milton continues its devastating path through Florida now as a category 1 hurricane. It is expected that Milton will maintain hurricane intensity as it crosses Florida during Thursday morning, but as it progresses towards the Atlantic, it is likely to gradually lose tropical characteristics and weaken, reports Reuters.
President Joe Biden received information about the situation in Florida after Milton made landfall, reports Efe. The White House stated that the president received details about the initial impact of the storm from the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, Deanne Criswell, and the Department of Homeland Security advisor, Liz Sherwood-Randall.
Biden stated on Wednesday that his administration would offer support "for as long as necessary to rescue, recover, and rebuild" the areas affected by Milton, the second hurricane to hit Florida in almost two weeks, after being impacted by the powerful Hurricane Helene on September 26.
Before Milton's arrival, a tornado caused the first fatalities. Authorities in St. Lucie County on the east coast of Florida confirmed this evening that there were "multiple deaths" in a community of homes hit by a tornado associated with the system, reports Efe.
At least 19 tornadoes were recorded in central and southern Florida on Wednesday, hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Siesta Key.
Milton targets St. Petersburg
One of the hardest-hit cities is St. Petersburg, in Pinellas County, where the force of Milton destroyed part of the roof of Tropicana Field stadium, home of the Major League Baseball team Tampa Bay Rays, where emergency personnel were present, reports Efe.
Several videos on social media showed how the wind had ripped off the roof, leaving only the supporting structure. Firefighters reported that the people inside the stadium were safe. Additionally, a major water main broke, affecting the drinking water supply in this city, which is part of Tampa Bay.
St. Petersburg received 13 centimeters of rain between 8 and 9 p.m. local time when Hurricane Milton made landfall and 23.8 centimeters in the following three hours; this amount of rain in such a short time is classified as an event that occurs once every 1,000 years.