Hurricane Milton leaves at least 4 dead as it moves through Florida

Milton leaves a trail of destruction in Florida, with millions without power and flights canceled; see details of the tragedy and recovery efforts

At least four people died in St. Lucie County, Florida, when Tornadoes associated with Hurricane Milton devastated the area, authorities said on Thursday (10).

More than 3 million of homes and businesses across Florida were left without power after the storm, now a category 1 hurricanehaving hit the coast like a extremely dangerous category 3 storm near Siesta Key.

Milton is currently moving northeast off the Florida coast. However, the storm is still producing hurricane-force winds and heavy rainthe National Hurricane Center reported Thursday.

Meteorologists warned that “there is a risk of life-threatening storm surge along the coast”from east-central Florida to southern Georgia.

Biden and DeSantis discuss response efforts after Milton hits Florida

President Biden spoke with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday morning and “reiterated that it will provide all necessary support to the state” to accelerate response and recovery efforts, according to the White House press office.

According to the statement, DeSantis thanked Biden for his federal support and plans to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Milton alongside FEMA’s Deanne Criswell. Criswell is expected to brief the president after the assessments.

Pinellas County lifts shelter-in-place order

Pinellas County officials have lifted the previously issued stay-at-home order, but are still asking residents to stay home if possible and take extreme care when driving.

“A large number of traffic lights are inoperative due to widespread power outages in Pinellas County,” the sheriff’s office reported in a post on X. “Intersections with inoperative traffic lights should be treated as a four-way stop. Keep an eye out for workers clearing the rubble.”

Biden asks affected residents to ‘stay indoors and off the roads’

President Biden urged people in areas of Florida affected by Milton to “stay indoors and away from the roads” as rescue and recovery efforts continue, reinforcing similar messages from state and local officials.

To everyone impacted by Hurricane Milton: I urge you stay inside and off the roads.

Downed power lines, debris, and road washouts are creating dangerous conditions.

Help is on the way, but until it arrives, shelter in place until your local officials say it’s safe to go out.

— President Biden (@POTUS) October 10, 2024

Construction crane collapses in St. Petersburg

One construction crane collapsed in downtown St. Petersburg on Wednesday night as Hurricane Milton made landfall, causing serious damage to an office building that houses several companies, including the Tampa Bay Times.

There were no reports of injuries, according to the newspaper.

Tampa Bay’s Fox 13 reported that the crane fell from a building under construction about two years ago, which would be the tallest building in St. Petersburg.

More than 3.3 million are without power in Florida

On Thursday morning, more than 3.3 million homes and businesses in Florida they were without power. During a press conference, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that 600,000 power outages have already been restored since Milton hit the state on Wednesday.

DeSantis highlighted that Hillsborough, Hardy, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties have suffered “significant disruptions” and that more than 50,000 electricians are ready to continue restoring power.

More than 2,200 flights canceled

More than 2,200 flights were canceled on Thursday morning due to Hurricane Milton, according to FlightAware.com.

At Orlando International Airport, 92% of flights were cancelled. At Tampa International Airport and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, 90% and 96% of flights were cancelled, respectively.

Via News Agencies*