Florida is starting to evaluate the destruction caused by Hurricane Milton, which struck as a category 3 storm.
Over 3 million residents are without power after the storm swept across the central part of the state overnight on Wednesday.
The assessment of the damage will take days, but early estimates suggest losses could reach $60 billion.
Tornadoes that developed with Hurricane Milton could cause damage similar to the hurricane itself. Governor Ron DeSantis noted that officials issued at least 116 tornado warnings statewide.
Early Thursday, authorities confirmed four deaths in St. Lucie County, where tornadoes made landfall.
Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, reported that tornadoes destroyed about 125 homes, primarily mobile homes in senior communities.
Coastal areas like Sarasota and Fort Myers faced severe inundation, with storm surges reaching up to 10 feet.
The powerful winds, reaching 120 mph, turned cars, trees, and debris into dangerous projectiles. As the storm passed, parts of the state experienced extraordinary weather conditions, including purple skies and extreme wind damage.
Milton made landfall on Siesta Key, just south of St. Petersburg, around 8:30 p.m., and by early Thursday morning, it had been downgraded to a category 1 hurricane.
The storm caused significant structural damage in St. Petersburg, where a crane collapsed and left a gash in an office building, blocking streets. The collapse also disrupted the local water supply, and it tore off the roof of a Major League Baseball stadium.
While emergency assessments are ongoing, officials are grappling with the aftermath.
Approximately 11 million Floridians are at risk of flash and river flooding due to unprecedented rainfall. Some regions experienced rainfall amounts likened to one-in-1,000-year events.
In Bradenton, north of Sarasota, the police chief reported that more than 60% of the city was without electricity.
Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, noted extensive downed power lines and trees. Although authorities predicted a significant storm surge, the impact was not as severe as expected.
Communities north of Siesta Key experienced heavy rain, with predictions of up to 18 inches, while areas to the south, such as Fort Myers Beach, faced the storm’s surge.
Forecast models initially suggested that Milton would directly hit Tampa Bay, potentially causing a 15-foot storm surge.
However, the storm’s path shifted, landing about 70 miles south, sparing the area from the worst. Despite this, Plant City, just inland from Tampa, experienced catastrophic flooding.
City manager Bill McDaniel described the situation as “absolutely staggering,” reporting that emergency crews rescued 35 people overnight after the city received 13.5 inches of rain.
Prior to the storm, Florida issued mandatory evacuation orders across 15 counties, affecting approximately 7.2 million people. Those who chose to remain were warned they would need to manage on their own until the storm passed.
Among those who stayed were 12 workers at the Tampa Zoo, who ensured that animals were cared for during the storm.
Florida now faces a substantial cleanup effort.
Major attractions like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld remained closed as of Thursday. Governor DeSantis announced that 9,000 National Guard members are prepared to assist, along with 50,000 utility workers from as far away as California.
Tragically, DeSantis acknowledged the likelihood of more fatalities, stating, “Unfortunately, there will be fatalities. I don’t think there’s any way around that.”
As Florida begins to recover, the focus shifts to restoring power, assisting those affected, and assessing the full extent of Hurricane Milton’s damage.