Two dead after tornado hits Fort Pierce on Florida‘s east coast ● 70% of homes without power in Tampa, more than 3 million people statewide ● Hundreds of rescues stranded in Palm Beach ● Unreal images
Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, as a dangerous Category 3 storm and weakened to a Category 1 as it crossed the state and moved offshore, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is the fifth hurricane to hit the US this year, leaving behind unprecedented flooding.
In St. Petersburg alone, 16.6 inches (422 mm) of rain fell, the first in 1,000 years. Meanwhile, two deaths were reported in St. Lucie County, Florida, after a tornado hit a mobile home retirement community, the county sheriff told CNN, and many more are feared dead.
Milton, the third hurricane to hit Florida this year, left more than 2 million homes and businesses without power, or more than 3 million people in the state. In Tampa alone, 70% of households were left in the dark as the Bay Area – Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater – wind gusts in excess of 100 mph (160 km/h) and issued a flood emergency and their closures. affairs.
In Palm Beach, hundreds of residents were rescued after tornadoes swept through the county. The Fire Service said many were trapped under debris or in overturned vehicles due to the strong winds. Authorities are urging people to stay off area roads while they work to clear the debris.
In addition to tearing off the roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, gale force winds overthrew a large construction crane in St. Petersburg, thankfully on an abandoned road.
More than 125 homes and mobile homes were destroyed by tornadoes, according to Florida Gov. Ron de Sandys. Only 100 were recorded in Pearson, St. Lucie County, according to NBC. At the same time, meteorologists estimate that waves of four meters could be raised.
Milton maintained hurricane intensity as it crossed Florida on Thursday morning, but as it moved into the Atlantic, it was gradually losing strength, the Hurricane Center said. Along with the recent effects of Hurricane Elin, they are estimated to have caused trillions of dollars in damage.
At the same time, at the Tampa Zoo, dozens of animals, including African elephants, Caribbean flamingos and a pogmy hippopotamus, took to the streets of the city.
Nearly a quarter of Florida’s gas stations ran out of fuel Wednesday afternoon.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency moved millions of liters (gallons) of water, millions of meals and supplies and other personnel into the area, and 2012 cleanup crews worked around the clock to clear hills of debris left by Elin before Milton turned them. dangerous weapons, said de Sandys.
About 9,000 National Guard personnel have been deployed to Florida, ready to help with recovery efforts, as well as 50,000 power grid workers in anticipation of widespread power outages, the governor said.