People walk past downed lights and trees caused by Hurricane Milton in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024.
Bryan R. Smith | AFP | Getty Images
Millions of people in Florida were without power Thursday after Hurricane Milton caused tornadoes, flooding and strong winds. Eleven storm-related deaths have been confirmed across the state.
Authorities in Florida are assessing damage after Milton made landfall Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key on Florida's west coast, about 70 miles south of Tampa Bay.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm was moving east-northeast toward Cape Canaveral with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour and is moving from the Florida coast into the Atlantic Ocean.
According to PowerOutage.us, more than three million people in Florida were without power.
Milton spawned several tornadoes before landfall on Wednesday, with the National Weather Service confirming five of the seven tornadoes reported. DeSantis previously said 19 tornado touchdowns had been confirmed.
A power transformer explodes, producing a light in the background, as Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Fort Myers, Florida, on October 9, 2024.
Chandan Khanna | AFP | Getty Images
St. Petersburg police confirmed that two people had died in the city as a result of the hurricane. St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said in a news conference that one death was due to a “medical” incident, while the cause of death of the other cannot yet be confirmed.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood confirmed that at least three people died from the hurricane. One person died due to a falling tree, while the causes of the other two are not yet clear.
Volusia County officials have implemented a curfew that begins at 9 p.m. and ends at 5 a.m. Friday. According to a post on Facebook, the curfew is intended to ensure safety during the ongoing recovery efforts at night.
One person died from a falling tree in Citrus County, according to Florida Highway Patrol Sergeant Steve Gaskins.
At least five people were killed in St. Lucie County by two tornadoes that touched down around 4:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, according to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Marie Cook responds to damage to her home in the Binks Estates community after a tornado spawned by Hurricane Milton touched down on its path in Wellington, Florida, striking homes in The Preserve at Binks Estate on October 9, 2024.
Bill Ingram | The Palm Beach Post | Via Reuters
DeSantis said in a news conference in St. Lucie County Thursday afternoon that there appeared to be fewer rescue operations than during Hurricane Helene.
“I think for Helene there were probably thousands of rescues in the first 24 to 36 hours. In my opinion, we are probably in the hundreds of rescues across the state so far,” he said.
More than 2,200 flights were canceled in the U.S. on Thursday as airlines struggled to cope with the damage caused by Milton, according to FlightAware.
Nearly 1,000 of those canceled flights were scheduled to fly to or from Orlando International Airport alone.
The airport's interior terminal after Hurricane Milton passed through the area in Orlando, Florida on October 10, 2024.
Saul Martinez | Getty Images
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said in a news conference Thursday that the city did not record any major injuries or deaths following the hurricane.
“I really think it’s because of Hurricane Helene,” she said. “When people see the power of Mother Nature firsthand, it is very impressive, literally and figuratively. I think people heeded that warning, got out and were able to stay safe.”
A view shows a collapsed construction crane that fell on the building that also houses the offices of the Tampa Bay Times after Hurricane Milton made landfall in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024.
Octavio Jones | Reuters
According to the mayor, about half a million households are without power and damage from flooding is not at the same level as after Hurricane Helene.
The city of Tampa called out locals on the social media site
President Biden urged Floridians to stay on and avoid all roadways as downed power lines, debris and flooding have created dangerous conditions.
“Help is on the way, but until it arrives, stay put until your local officials say it's safe to go out,” he said in a post on X.
A view shows an overturned traffic light near a police car after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Orlando, Florida, on October 10, 2024.
Jose Luis Gonzalez | Reuters
Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said evacuation orders before the hurricane saved lives.
She added that the full extent of the damage is not yet known and that FEMA is working to accelerate recovery efforts in the event of further storms.
“This wasn’t the worst-case scenario [first responders] “We had planned, but they prepared us, which makes it much easier today to go out and support communities,” Criswell told MSNBC on Thursday.
Access to Pinellas County, which includes St. Petersburg and the barrier islands west of Tampa, has been restored as of 8:45 a.m., according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department.
Pinellas County officials lifted the mandatory evacuation order but urged residents to avoid unnecessary trips due to road hazards and to allow recovery teams to work efficiently. No confirmed deaths have been reported in the county.
Strong winds from the hurricane tore apart the roof of the Tampa Bay Rays' home stadium. The Tropicana Field baseball stadium, located in St. Petersburg, was planned as a 10,000-person base camp for workers to respond to the storm.
The roof of Tropicana Field, home of the MLB's Tampa Bay Rays, appeared to be severely damaged as Hurricane Milton passed through St. Petersburg, Florida on October 10, 2024.
Chris Urso | AP
“We were not sheltering in place, so Tropicana Field only had essential personnel for the storm and everyone is accounted for and safe,” a spokesperson for the Tampa Bay Rays told CNBC.
DeSantis said Florida has avoided the worst-case scenario of a major hurricane directly hitting the heavily populated Tampa Bay area.
Earlier this week, Milton was a catastrophic Category 5 storm that was on track to make landfall near Tampa, but weakened before reaching Siesta Key.
DeSantis said the storm drained water from the Tampa area rather than unleashing a 10- to 15-foot storm surge.
“In that sense, overall, we didn't have as much storm as we did with Hurricane Helene a few weeks ago,” DeSantis told CNBC's “Squawk Box” Thursday morning. However, the power outages are larger than those caused by Helene, and there is also damage on Florida's east coast, he said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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