Just weeks after Helene made landfall in the northwestern portion of Florida, people across the state are once again picking up the pieces following another major hurricane. This time, Hurricane Milton put its bull's-eye on the central portion of Florida, making landfall near Tampa before heading past Orlando and the state's east coast, eventually moving out over the Atlantic. This devastating storm retained hurricane strength throughout its crossing of Florida.
Earlier this week, Hurricane Milton intensified from a tropical storm to the formidable Category 5 hurricane over the ultra-warm Gulf of Mexico waters, achieving this transformation within just 24 hours. The storm officially made landfall near Siesta Key around 8:30 p.m. EST, classified as a Category 3 hurricane. AccuWeather meteorologists explained the looming danger posed by the somewhat weakened storm, which still packed winds of 120 mph upon landfall, along with the risk of devastating storm surges. Prior to landfall, Milton's outer bands unleashed significant tornado outbreaks during the morning and afternoon, which have already been attributed to multiple deaths.
"I've lived in Florida since 1989. Never, never have I experienced damage or the amount of tornadoes..." recalled Susan Carlos, who resides at Sunnier Palms Park and Campground. "And it was the most frightening thing I've ever lived through." The aftermath of the hurricane has left many areas unrecognizable, particularly on the coast. Drone footage from Grove City, approximately 30 miles south of Milton's landfall, illustrated the extent of the devastation, highlighting homes inundated by overwhelming storm surge and intense winds. One particularly gripping scene showed a boat jetting right through two homes, left stranded when the storm surge receded.
Severe winds also wreaked havoc farther inland. For example, St. Petersburg witnessed disaster as strong winds toppled construction cranes, damaging buildings and crushing vehicles. Governor Ron DeSantis stated during one of the assessments, "We will get a clearer picture of the extent of the damage as the day progresses." Tragically, the aftermath of Milton has seen the death toll rise to at least 23 people, with fatalities reported across several counties. St. Lucie County confirmed at least six deaths attributed to tornadoes, earning it the grim title of the hardest-hit location. Police confirmed two storm-related deaths in St. Petersburg, with investigation underway to determine the circumstances surrounding them.
Throughout the chaos, reports emerged of heroic rescues, with teams pulling individuals from perilous situations. Hillsborough County officers narrated one dramatic rescue of a 14-year-old boy who managed to float on top of a piece of fence until help arrived. Another stirring rescue involved a single mother and her four children trapped for seven hours inside their home, which was engulfed by floodwaters. Sharing her ordeal, Amber Henry stated, "I'm a single mom. I have nothing but me and my children... I was afraid of snakes, I was afraid of being electrocuted." Meanwhile, Coast Guard crews were able to save mariners stranded at sea, with one man clinging to for dear life as waves lashed around him.
Hurricane Milton also unleashed unprecedented storm surges on cities, transforming roads to raging rivers and flooding homes and businesses alike. At Naples, the storm surge reached 5.78 feet above normal tides — eclipsing previous storms, including Hurricane Helene just weeks prior. Rainfall rates reached astounding proportions; by the time Milton made its exit, accumulations topped 18.90 inches at St. Petersburg, with some areas later reporting individual-hour rainfall rates exceeding five inches.
Unfortunately, Floridians faced incredible challenges as power outages surged; by Monday morning, around 400,000 electric customers remained without power, part of over three million outages tied to Hurricane Milton and its precursors. The devastating economic ramifications were staggering, with preliminary estimates of total losses ranging from $160 billion to $180 billion, solidifying Milton’s legacy as one of the costliest hurricanes to ever strike the region.
Yet, relief efforts are already underway. Volunteers and organizations like FEMA have begun to address the catastrophic damage, providing assistance to families displaced by floodwaters and property loss. Unfortunately, as Eros Bongiovanni, who lost both her Madeira Beach home and job during storm Helene, explained, the process has been anything but smooth. She described long waits and being turned away twice by FEMA before finally securing assistance for temporary housing.
Electing to push for greater resources, local communities and officials have urged for timely support from FEMA. This year, the tidal wave of applications has soared for federal aid, with many residents still grappling with the aftermath of not just Milton, but multiple storms. The recovery process is set to be lengthy and complex, underscoring the fragility of Florida's infrastructure when faced with such compounded weather events.
While the people of Florida confront the immediate fallout of Hurricane Milton, the danger of future hurricanes looms large. Experts reflect on Milton and its impact; former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate noted, "When the states and locals do a good job, it makes FEMA look good. And the converse is true." Will this storm weather Florida's communities, or will their spirit rise again, leading to faster recovery and reconstruction? Only time will reveal the resilience of those who’ve faced these elements.
