Hurricane Milton Strikes Florida, Over 2 Million Left in the Dark
Milton hit near Siesta Key, just south of the heavily populated Tampa Bay area, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene
- Milton weakened to a Category 1 after making landfall as a Category 3
- Hundreds of thousands have fled inland
- The storm follows Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Milton has downgraded to a Category 1 storm, as per the latest advisory from the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The hurricane made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 on Wednesday, having previously reached Category 5 status.
U.S President, Joe Biden has warned that this could be one of the most devastating hurricanes to hit the state in over a century.
Milton hit near Siesta Key, just south of the heavily populated Tampa Bay area, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the Southeast.
The region hasn’t experienced a direct hurricane impact in more than 100 years.
As the storm continues to lash the state, hundreds of thousands of coastal residents have evacuated inland, while others are sheltering in place.
Emergency services have reported that responding to some calls has become too dangerous due to the severe conditions, according to Tom Bateman.
Tragically, Hurricane Helene has already claimed at least 225 lives across several states, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.
