Hurricane Milton moved through central Florida on October 10 after making landfall on the state’s west coast hours earlier. The storm spawned deadly tornadoes, destroyed homes and left nearly 2 million homes and businesses without power.
The US National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida at around 8:30 p.m. on October 9 as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph near Siesta Key.
By the morning of October 10, the storm's wind speed had dropped to 150 km/h, still dangerous, bringing Milton down to a Category 1 storm. Heavy rain and storm surge are causing damage to Florida as a result of Milton. The storm is located about 75 km west-southwest of Cape Canaveral, home to NASA's Space Station.
A flash flood emergency is in effect for the Tampa Bay area, including Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, the hurricane center said. St. Petersburg alone recorded 422 mm of rain on October 9.
The eye of Milton made landfall on Siesta Key, a barrier island town of about 5,400 people off the coast of Sarasota. Siesta Key is about 60 miles south of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, home to more than 3 million people.
Forecasters say sea levels could rise as much as 13 feet in Tampa Bay.
Florida Governor DeSantis said Hurricane Milton spawned at least 19 tornadoes that caused damage in several counties, destroying about 125 homes, mostly mobile homes.
At least two people died at a retirement community in Fort Pierce on Florida's east coast after a tornado hit, St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said, NBC News reported. Pearson estimated that 100 homes were destroyed in the county after about 17 tornadoes hit.
Hurricane Milton is expected to cross the Florida peninsula overnight and move into the Atlantic Ocean, still maintaining hurricane strength.
Once it enters the Atlantic, Hurricane Milton is likely to gradually lose its tropical characteristics and weaken, according to the latest hurricane forecast from the US National Hurricane Center.
Florida was devastated by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago. Up to 2 million people in Florida were ordered to evacuate before Hurricane Milton made landfall, and millions more live in the storm’s projected path. Both storms are expected to cause billions of dollars in damage.
US President Joe Biden has been briefed by emergency services on the initial impacts of Hurricane Milton, according to a White House statement.
