Hurricane Milton’s Fury: 16 Lives Lost and Widespread Devastation in Florida
A Powerful Storm Triggers Evacuations and Leaves Millions Without Power
- At least 16 confirmed fatalities and extensive damage reported across affected areas
- Over 2.5 million customers left without electricity
- Additional storm surges expected
Hurricane Milton struck near Siesta Key, Florida, on Wednesday night as a powerful Category 3 storm, resulting in at least 16 fatalities.
The storm swept across the Florida peninsula on Thursday and moved into the Atlantic Ocean. Over 2.5 million customers were left without power in Florida, as reported by utility tracker Find Energy.
Local officials, including Governor Ron DeSantis, noted that while flooding has not been as severe as anticipated, additional storm surges are expected Thursday afternoon, prompting ongoing warnings for residents to stay away from affected areas.
Milton unleashed destructive winds and heavy rain on cities, triggering tornadoes and leading to the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of coastal residents. This disaster follows closely behind Hurricane Helene, marking a rare occurrence of back-to-back hurricanes hitting a region that hasn’t experienced a direct hurricane strike in over a century.
