Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Hurricane Milton leaves Florida with less damage than feared

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Residents repair their homes and clean up after Hurricane Milton tore through Florida

Florida residents repaired damage from Hurricane Milton and cleaned up debris Friday after the storm smashed through coastal communities and tore homes to pieces, flooded streets and spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes.

At least eight people were dead, but many expressed relief that Milton wasn’t worse. The hurricane spared densely populated Tampa a direct hit, and the lethal storm surge that scientists feared never materialized.

Arriving just two weeks after the devastating Hurricane Helene, the system flooded barrier islands, tore the roof off the Tampa Bay Rays ' baseball stadium and toppled a construction crane.

As residents assessed damage to their property, over 2.5 million customers in Florida remained without power Friday morning, according to poweroutage.us. But the state’s vital tourism industry started to return to normal, with several theme parks preparing to reopen.

A flood of vehicles headed south Thursday evening on Interstate 75, the main highway that runs through the middle of the state, as relief workers and evacuated residents returned to assess the aftermath. Bucket trucks and fuel tankers streamed by, along with portable bathroom trailers and a convoy of emergency vehicles.

As residents raced back to find out whether their homes were destroyed or spared, finding gas was still a challenge. Fuel stations were still closed as far away as Ocala, more than a two and a half hour drive north of where the storm made landfall as a Category 3 near Siesta Key in Sarasota County on Wednesday night.

As Hurricane Milton barreled into and across Florida, it spawned dozens of tornadoes, knocked out power to millions, damaged homes, flooded neighborhoods and led to hundreds of rescues. But the damage wasn't as bad as had been feared.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said that while the storm "was significant," it "was not the worst-case scenario." He noted that as he flew over some of the hard-hit areas, he saw that many homes that were built in recent years fared well.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Florida ports begin reopening to vessel traffic after Milton

Several US Gulf ports including Panama City, St. Joe and Key West in Florida began reopening to vessel traffic on Thursday following the passage of Hurricane Milton, according to reports by the US Coast Guard.

Milton is forecast to become a powerful post-tropical storm later on Thursday after causing destruction across Florida and spawning more than a dozen tornados, with gradual weakening expected in the coming days, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Hurricane Milton disrupts Yom Kippur plans for Jews in Florida

Many Jews worldwide will mark Yom Kippur in fasting and prayer at their synagogues this weekend.

But for the faithful in Florida, destructive Hurricane Milton has disrupted plans for observing the Day of Atonement — the holiest day of the year in the Jewish faith — that begins Friday evening and caps off the High Holy Days that began with Rosh Hashana on Oct. 2.

Across the storm-threatened areas, rabbis and their congregants spent part of the Days of Awe — the span between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur — protecting their homes and synagogues as Milton churned off the coast, spiraling into a Category 5 storm. Many — though not all — evacuated, heeding the voluntary and mandatory orders, and found safekeeping for their synagogues’ Torah scrolls and themselves.

Milton hit Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday as a Category 3 cyclone, with damaging winds, heavy rains and tornadoes. By Thursday, the storm has moved eastward into the Atlantic Ocean.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Hurricane Milton leaves Florida with less damage than feared

Hurricane Milton plowed into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after cutting a destructive path across Florida that spawned more than a dozen tornados, destroyed homes and killed at least four people, but the storm did not trigger the catastrophic surge of seawater that was feared.

Governor Ron DeSantis said the state had avoided the worst-case scenario, though he cautioned the damage was still significant. The Tampa Bay area appeared to have escaped the storm surge that had prompted the most dire warnings.

The four deaths occurred in St. Lucie on Florida's east coast, with at least two of those in the Spanish Lakes Communities, a set of retirement neighborhoods, when multiple twisters touched down on Wednesday afternoon, county spokesperson Erick Gill said. It was unclear whether the other two fatalities were at Spanish Lakes, he said.

There were 19 confirmed tornados in Florida as of 8 p.m. Wednesday, about the time Milton made landfall, DeSantis said. Some 45 tornados were reported throughout the day, mostly in the central and eastern parts of the state, the National Weather Service said.

More than 3 million homes and businesses in Florida were without power on Thursday morning, according to PowerOutage.us. At least some of them had been waiting days for power to be restored after Hurricane Helene hit the area nearly two weeks ago. The hurricane tore a gaping hole in the fabric roof of Tropicana Field, the stadium of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team in St. Petersburg, but there were no reports of injuries. The ballpark was a staging area for responders, with thousands of cots set up on the field.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Trump, Harris keep campaigning after Milton hits Florida

Vice President Kamala Harris visits Nevada and Arizona while former President Donald Trump talks economic issues in Michigan, as presidential campaigning continues even with Hurricane Milton hitting Florida. Trump was speaking at the Economic Club of Detroit after holding rallies in Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Harris is attending a Univision town hall in Las Vegas and an evening rally in Phoenix while remaining in close contact with the White House and monitoring federal disaster response efforts.

President Joe Biden, who said Milton "is looking like the storm of the century," postponed a trip to Germany and Angola to cope with its aftermath. He and Harris were huddling with top officials in the Situation Room to discuss disaster response.

Even amid the hurricane, however, both the Harris and Trump campaigns are using their travel strategically, trying to increase support with key voting blocs who could decide an election expected to be exceedingly close.

Trump has emphasised picking up votes in heavily Hispanic parts of Pennsylvania, including Reading, where he held a rally Wednesday. Harris is out west as her campaign looks to increase support among Hispanic voters there, especially men. Her campaign began a group this week known as "Hombres con Harris."

Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, attended an Hombres kickoff event with Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, and actor Jaime Camil in Phoenix on Wednesday. Similar gatherings were held elsewhere in Arizona, as well as in Nevada and Pennsylvania.

The group is planning to hold upcoming events at Latino-owned small businesses, union halls, barbecues and community events until Election Day.

The Harris campaign has also aimed to reach Hispanic voters who may not be closely following the election by doing things like having Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Harris' campaign manager, attend the recent boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas, and holding events at churches and elsewhere to mark Mexican Independence Day in September.

Hurricane Milton shreds Florida stadium roof

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: US natgas prices hit 2-week low after Hurricane Milton knocks out power in parts of Florida

US natural gas futures fell about 2% to a two-week low on Thursday on forecasts for lower demand next week and expectations power generators will burn less gas after Hurricane Milton knocked out power to millions of homes and businesses in Florida. Milton slammed into the west coast of Florida as a major storm on Wednesday night and swept across the central part of the state on Thursday.

The storm has already caused over 3.2 million homes and businesses to lose power in Florida. Those outages will add to the roughly 103,000 customers still without service in North Carolina and Georgia since Hurricane Helene moved inland after hitting Florida on Sept. 26.

In 2023, power generators in Florida burned a record 3.9 billion cubic feet per day of gas to keep the lights on for the state's roughly 11.5 million power customers, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration and PowerOutage.us.

That means every 1 million customer outages reduces the need to burn around 0.3 bcfd of gas on average. Front-month gas futures for November delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 6.1 cents, or 2.3%, to $2.599 per million British thermal units at 8:02 a.m. EDT (1202 GMT), falling for a fifth day in a row and putting the contract on track for its lowest close since Sept. 26. That would be the first time the contract dropped for five straight days since late August.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Florida governor says Hurricane Milton was significant but not the worst case scenario

Florida governor said Hurricane Milton was significant but not the worst case scenario.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: St. Lucie County officials say tornadoes ahead of Hurricane Milton killed 4 people

At least four people died in St. Lucie County as Hurricane Milton tore across Florida overnight, CNN reported on Thursday, citing county officials.
The storm flattened a retirement community in the county, CNN said, citing the local sheriff.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Florida-based fund managers brace for Hurricane Milton but remain committed to the state

Florida's sun and low taxes enticed many hedge funds and other financial professionals to move south. Now another massive hurricane is putting that love affair to the test, but many big-name managers are committed to remaining in "Wall Street South" for the foreseeable future. The state, facing the approaching Category 3 Hurricane Milton on Wednesday, has lured investors for years but its attractiveness only increased during the pandemic. Billionaire Carl Icahn uprooted his firm from New York to an office near Miami in 2020. Paul Singer's Elliott Investment Management followed later that year with an announcement that it was opening a West Palm Beach office. And Ken Griffin's Citadel said in 2022 that it was moving to Miami from Chicago. Hurricane Milton is on course to pound Florida's Gulf Coast late on Wednesday night or early on Thursday, threatening communities still recovering from Hurricane Helene last month. Milton was expected to stay at hurricane strength across the Florida peninsula, posing storm-surge danger on the state's Atlantic Coast.


"We took the plunge with our eyes wide open," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at $52 billion Chicago-based Cresset Asset Management, about his move to Palm Beach on Florida's east coast in 2015. His principal residence will stay in Palm Beach even though he plans to ride out this storm from his other home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina.

For many other fund managers, the tradeoff between lower taxes and a favorable business climate versus the specter of insurance payments and the cost of rebuilding potentially annihilated real estate, still works in favor of Florida, according to people familiar with their thinking.

The big hedge funds that moved to Florida remain committed to maintaining their operations there, those people said. Similarly, other executives who moved their personal residences to the South during the pandemic while continuing to telecommute for firms based in the Northeast have every intention of staying put, according to two sources familiar with their thinking.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: The Jacksonville Jaguars say their flight to London will be delayed because of Hurricane Milton

The Jacksonville Jaguars plan to arrive to London later than expected Friday because of Hurricane Milton, the team confirmed ahead of Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

A team spokesperson said on Thursday that the team's departure time has been “slightly” delayed.

The hurricane brought powerful winds, a deadly storm surge and flooding to much of Florida after making landfall along the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm.

The Jaguars canceled a Friday press conference at the team hotel outside London and rescheduled it for Saturday morning. They play the Bears the next day at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

For their London games, the Jags regularly depart on Thursday night and arrive Friday morning.

On Wednesday, coach Doug Pederson expressed confidence in sticking to the travel plan

“It could affect some timing tomorrow trying to get out, but it looks good, it looks promising anyway, for our window to get out of here sort of on time with not too many delays or hiccups in the next 24 hours or so,” he said.

Hurricane Milton Updates: Hurricane Milton leaves trail of destruction in march across Florida

Hurricane Milton marched across Florida on Thursday after making landfall on the state's west coast hours earlier, whipping up deadly tornadoes, destroying homes and knocking out power to nearly 2 million customers.

The storm made landfall around 8:30 p.m. EDT (0030 GMT) on Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour (195 kph) near Siesta Key, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

By early Thursday, wind speeds reduced to a still dangerous 90 mph (150 kph), dropping Milton to a Category 1 hurricane, with heavy rains and damaging storm surges, as it reached Florida's Atlantic Coast. The hurricane was located about 10 miles (17 km) northwest of Cape Canaveral, home to NASA's Space Force Station.

At least two deaths were reported at a retirement community following a suspected tornado in Fort Pierce on the eastern coast of Florida, NBC News reported, citing St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson. His department did not immediately respond to a request for details.

A flash flood emergency was in effect for the Tampa Bay area including the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, the hurricane center said, with St. Petersburg already receiving 16.6 inches (422 mm) of rain on Wednesday.

The eye of the storm made landfall in Siesta Key, a barrier island town of some 5,400 off Sarasota about 60 miles (100 km) south of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, which is home to more than 3 million people.

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Hurricane Milton weakens to Category 1, but danger remains in Florida

Hurricane Milton brought powerful winds, a deadly storm surge and flooding to much of Florida after making landfall along the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm.
It weakened to a Category 1 storm as it moved through Florida early Thursday. Power outages were widespread and deaths have been reported from severe weather.

The cyclone had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (205 kph) when it roared ashore in Siesta Key, south of the populated Tampa Bay region, the National Hurricane Center said. The hurricane was bringing deadly storm surge to much of Florida’s Gulf Coast, including densely populated areas such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Fort Myers.

Hurricane Milton News Live: More than 3 million without power as Hurricane Milton slams Florida, causes deaths and flooding

Hurricane Milton has caused widespread destruction across central Florida, leaving over 3 million homes and businesses without power, as reported by PowerOutages.us. Energy companies in the state serve more than 11.5 million customer accounts. As Milton’s strong winds, powerful gusts, and heavy rain persisted into the early morning, the number of outages continued to rise.

The hardest-hit areas include counties along the western coast of the peninsula, particularly Hardee, Sarasota, Hillsborough, and Manatee.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Residents rescued from homes in waist-deep water, NWS says

Pinellas County, located on Florida's west coast and home to cities such as St Petersburg, Clearwater, and Dunedin, experienced significant flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. According to CNN, some residents had to be rescued from floodwaters that reached as high as their waists.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecasted "moderate to major" river flooding to persist throughout the week due to the substantial rainfall brought by the hurricane. The storm's impact has left many areas in Pinellas County grappling with the consequences of the severe weather event.

Hurricane Milton News Live: More than 2.6 million without power as Hurricane Milton slams Florida, causes deaths and flooding

Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida's coast as a powerful Category 3 storm, unleashing a torrent of destruction on areas still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Helene. With winds surpassing 100 mph (160 kph), Milton battered cities and spawned numerous tornadoes, although Tampa narrowly avoided a direct hit.

In the hours leading up to landfall, the storm's trajectory shifted southward, ultimately making landfall Thursday night in Siesta Key, approximately 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa, near Sarasota. Despite avoiding a direct impact, the Tampa region still faced a significant emergency as St. Petersburg was inundated with over 16 inches (41 centimeters) of rainfall. The National Weather Service issued urgent warnings of flash flooding for St. Petersburg and various other areas across western and central Florida.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Milton weakens to Category 1 hurricane, NHC says

Hurricane Milton struck Florida's Gulf Coast on Thursday as a powerful Category 3 hurricane, unleashing intense winds, life-threatening storm surge, and the risk of significant flooding across a large portion of the state. The storm gained strength from the unusually warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, reaching the highest Category 5 status on two separate occasions.

According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Milton made landfall in Siesta Key, Florida, with sustained winds reaching 120 mph (205 kph). The hurricane posed a severe threat to the Gulf Coast of Florida, including heavily populated cities such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers, with the potential for devastating storm surge.

As Hurricane Milton progressed through Florida in the early hours of Thursday, it weakened to a Category 1 storm, although the threat of damage and flooding remained significant.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Hurricane Milton spawns 'at least four tornadoes, including a multi-vortex tornado,'

Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 3 storm, made landfall near Siesta Key on Florida's central west coast on Wednesday night, bringing with it sustained winds of 120 mph. The National Hurricane Center urged residents in the Tampa and St. Petersburg areas to take shelter as the hurricane-force winds spread through the region.

As Milton moves inland, it will rapidly weaken due to the loss of warm Gulf waters as its fuel source. However, it will maintain its hurricane status as it crosses Florida before transitioning into a tropical storm upon entering the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.

According to GasBuddy, as reported by CBS News, over 23 percent of Florida gas stations were without fuel as of Wednesday morning, with the Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg areas being the most affected, with more than 59 percent of stations running dry. These numbers had increased since Tuesday night.

The National Weather Service in Miami reported at least four tornadoes, including a "multi-vortex tornado," as storm surge began to impact the southwestern Florida coast. Tornado warnings were issued for various cities, in addition to the existing hurricane and storm surge warnings.

Despite Milton's wind speeds decreasing as it approached landfall, the storm remained a powerful Category 3 hurricane, with serious damage and flooding expected. Jeff Masters, a former scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's hurricane hunters, told CBS News that "Some of the biggest catastrophes in hurricane history were from weakening storms." He cited Hurricane Katrina as an example, which caused USD 190 billion in damage despite being a Category 3 storm at landfall, having previously been a Category 5.

Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc on Florida's Gulf Coast, causing significant damage to Tropicana Field, the stadium that houses the Tampa Bay Rays. The non-retractable roof of the structure was heavily impacted, with sections visibly shaking and fluttering in the intense winds brought by the storm.

As of now, the degree of destruction within the stadium is still unknown. However, WFTS-TV has reported that there were no casualties or injuries resulting from the incident.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Hurricane Milton marches across central Florida, destroying homes

Hurricane Milton swept through central Florida on Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake after making landfall on the state's west coast earlier in the day. The powerful storm triggered deadly tornadoes, leveled homes, and left nearly 2 million customers without power.

According to the US National Hurricane Center, Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane around 8.30pm EDT (0030 GMT) on Wednesday near Siesta Key, with maximum sustained winds reaching 120 miles per hour (195 kph). By 11pm EDT (0300 GMT), the hurricane had weakened to a Category 2 storm, with wind speeds decreasing to 105 mph (165 kph). Despite the reduction in intensity, Milton remained a highly dangerous storm, with its eye located 75 miles (120 km) southwest of Orlando.

The Tampa Bay area, including the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, was placed under a flash flood emergency by the hurricane center. St. Petersburg had already experienced significant rainfall, with 16.6 inches (422 mm) recorded on Wednesday.

Siesta Key, a barrier island town with a population of approximately 5,400, bore the brunt of the storm's landfall. The island is situated off Sarasota, about 60 miles (100 km) south of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, which is home to more than 3 million residents.

Governor Ron DeSantis expressed hope that Tampa Bay would be spared from major damage and that the worst of the predicted storm surge could be avoided due to the timing of the landfall before high tide. However, forecasters cautioned that seawater levels could still rise as high as 13 feet (4 meters).

Hurricane Milton News Live: Over 2.2 million Florida customers without power due to Hurricane Milton

Over 2.2 million homes and businesses in Florida were left without power early Thursday, following Hurricane Milton's landfall on the state's west coast just hours before, as reported by PowerOutage.us. The US National Hurricane Center stated that Milton made landfall around 8:30 p.m. EDT (0030 GMT) on Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour (195 kph) near Siesta Key. Although it has since weakened into a Category 2 hurricane, it is still considered extremely dangerous.

Florida Power & Light Company, which has about 768,132 clients without power, was the utility with the most customers affected, followed by Duke Energy, which has 624,885 clients without power. Florida Power & Light Company warned, "Customers should be prepared for extended outages. The unprecedented storm's catastrophic conditions and recent heavy rain will likely cause significant damage and restoration challenges." The company also stated that it has pre-positioned crews throughout the state and has a restoration workforce of more than 17,000 people.
In the wake of Hurricane Helen, over 109,000 customers in Georgia and North Carolina were still without power. Helene, which claimed the lives of more than 200 people across six states, was the deadliest named storm to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 1,400 people in 2005.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Hurricane Milton spawns destructive, deadly tornadoes before making landfall

Powerful tornadoes wreaked havoc across Florida in the hours preceding Hurricane Milton's landfall on Wednesday. The black V-shaped columns tore off roofs, flipped vehicles, and pulled debris into the air as they moved through the area. St. Lucie County on Florida's Atlantic Coast reported fatalities, but local authorities did not provide a specific number.

By Wednesday evening, the National Weather Services offices in Florida had issued more than 130 tornado warnings related to Milton. While it is not uncommon for tornadoes to occur before and during hurricanes, the intensity of these twisters was remarkable. Victor Gensini, a meteorology professor at Northern Illinois University, noted, "It's definitely out of the ordinary. Hurricanes do produce tornadoes, but they're usually weak. What we saw today was much closer to what we see in the Great Plains in the spring."

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, tornadoes generated by hurricanes and tropical storms typically form in the right-front quadrant of the storm, but they can also occur near the storm's eyewall. The likelihood of these tornadoes is influenced by the heat and humidity present in the atmosphere during such storms, as well as changes in wind direction or speed with height, known as wind shear. Gensini explained, "There's an incredible amount of swirling going on," referring to the conditions that allowed for the twisters to develop. While climate change is making hurricanes more intense due to the warming of the oceans, Gensini did not know of any connection between human-caused warming and the deadly tornadoes that Floridians experienced with Milton.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Roof of Tropicana Field serving as a shelter is currently being torn off

Hurricane Milton News Live: Hurricane Milton weakens to category 2

Milton's intensity has decreased, and it is now classified as a category 2 hurricane. However, the storm remains a formidable force, causing severe flooding and bringing perilous winds to the affected areas.

Previously, Milton came ashore close to Siesta Key in Florida, with winds reaching category three strength. Authorities predict that the storm will maintain its hurricane status as it traverses the state.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Hurricane Milton marches across central Florida, destroying homes

Hurricane Milton battered central Florida on Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The powerful storm made landfall on the state's west coast earlier in the day, unleashing fierce winds that spawned lethal tornadoes. These twisters tore through communities, leveling homes and causing widespread devastation.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Milton damages the roof of the Rays' stadium

In St. Petersburg, the Tampa Bay Rays' home stadium, Tropicana Field, suffered significant damage. Television footage on Wednesday night revealed that the fabric roof of the domed structure had been severely torn. It remains unclear if there was any damage inside the stadium.

Although Tropicana Field was not being used as a shelter, the Tampa Bay Times reported that it was serving as a staging area for workers who were brought in to handle the aftermath of the storm. The stadium, which opened in 1990 with an initial cost of $138 million, was set to be replaced by a new $1.3 billion ballpark in time for the 2026 season.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Heavy rains likely to cause flooding inland along rivers and lakes

Torrential downpours are expected to trigger extensive flooding across inland regions, affecting areas near rivers and lakes as Milton moves through the Florida peninsula as a hurricane. The storm is projected to eventually emerge in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.

As of Wednesday night, poweroutage.us, a website that monitors utility reports, indicated that over 1 million homes and businesses in Florida were experiencing power outages. Sarasota County and the adjacent Manatee County reported the highest number of affected customers.

Hurricane Milton News Live: Hurricane Milton crashes into Florida, pounds coast with ferocious winds of over 100 mph

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on Thursday as a powerful Category 3 storm, unleashing fierce winds exceeding 100 mph (160 kph) along the coast and spawning multiple tornadoes throughout the state. The city of Tampa narrowly escaped a direct impact from the hurricane.

According to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center, the storm's maximum sustained winds reached 120 mph (205 kph) as it slammed into the coast near Siesta Key at 8:30 pm (US time) Siesta Key, a wealthy community with pristine white-sand beaches and a population of 5,500, is situated approximately 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa. Although the Tampa Bay region has not experienced a direct hit from a major hurricane in over a century, the storm still posed a significant threat to much of Florida's Gulf Coast, including heavily populated areas such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers, with the potential for a deadly storm surge.

Hurricane Milton News Live: 'A Flash Flood Emergency is in effect for the Tampa Bay Area as Milton continues to move inland,' says National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Milton Live Updates: In its update, National Hurricane Center warns of a 'life-threatening storm surge, extreme winds and flash flooding' as 'Milton moves inland along the Florida west coast'

Hurricane Milton Live: More than 1 million homes and businesses are without power in Florida

Approximately 1 million residences and commercial establishments in Florida lacked electricity on Wednesday evening, based on data from PowerOutage.us, a website that monitors utility company reports.

The counties of Sarasota, where the hurricane struck land, and Manatee, which borders Sarasota, experienced the greatest number of power disruptions.

Hurricane Milton Live: 'Extremely dangerous' Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida

Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida's west coast on Wednesday evening, bringing with it a trio of hazards: storm surge, high winds, and flash floods. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) classified Milton as an "extremely dangerous" Category 3 hurricane upon landfall.

According to the NHC's 8:30 pm bulletin, "Data indicate the eye of Hurricane Milton has made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County along the west coast of Florida." The storm's impact is expected to be felt across a wide area, with residents urged to take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety.

Hurricane Milton Live: What to know about Hurricane Milton as it barrels toward Florida's Gulf Coast

Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 3 storm, approached Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday, bringing tropical storm-force winds and prompting the closure of bridges. Officials warned that there was no more time for evacuation, and those who chose to remain faced dire odds of survival.

The hurricane's intensity has varied, but it poses a significant threat to the Tampa Bay area, home to over 3.3 million residents. The region has been fortunate to avoid a direct hit from a major hurricane for more than a century.

In addition to the strong winds, Milton is expected to bring massive storm surges, damaging winds, and flooding rains. The storm has already caused rain, gusting winds, and tornadoes in the area. Communities in the region are still recovering from the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall just two weeks ago in the Big Bend region to the north.

Hurricane Milton Live: Polluted waste from Florida's fertilizer industry is in the path of Milton's fury

As Hurricane Milton battered Florida's west coast with intense winds and heavy rainfall, environmentalists are concerned about the potential dispersal of contaminated waste from the state's phosphate fertilizer mining industry and other hazardous materials across the region and into fragile ecosystems. The state has over 1 billion tons of mildly radioactive phosphogypsum waste stored in "stacks" that are similar to massive ponds, which are susceptible to leakage during severe weather events. Florida has 25 of these stacks, primarily located near large phosphate mines and fertilizer processing facilities in the state's central region, and environmentalists believe that almost all of them are in Milton's forecasted trajectory.

"Placing vulnerable sites so close on major waterways that are at risk of damage from storms is a recipe for disaster," said Ragan Whitlock, a staff attorney at the environmental group Center for Biological Diversity. "These are ticking time bombs."

Phosphogypsum, a solid waste byproduct resulting from the processing of phosphate ore to produce chemical fertilizer, contains radium, which breaks down to form radon gas. Both radium and radon are radioactive and have the potential to cause cancer. Additionally, phosphogypsum may contain toxic heavy metals and other carcinogenic substances such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel.

The waste becomes even more problematic due to the lack of a simple disposal method, causing it to accumulate and become an increasingly significant target for storms like the formidable Milton. The hurricane made landfall in central Florida late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, with sustained winds of approximately 120 mph (193 kph), a massive storm surge, and 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rainfall. In 2004, Hurricane Frances, a less severe Category 2 storm, hit the state's eastern coast and swirled across central Florida, releasing 65 million gallons of acidic wastewater from phosphogypsum stacks into nearby waterways, causing the death of thousands of fish and other aquatic life.

Hurricane Milton Live: Biden, Harris condemn storm misinformation ahead of Hurricane Milton landfall

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden cautioned that Hurricane Milton possessed immense destructive power and implored individuals to seek secure refuge while denouncing the spread of false information about the storm as contrary to American values.

Biden stated, "It's harmful to those that need help," referring to the misinformation circulating about the storm and the government's response.

In the lead-up to the November 5th election, Republican former President Donald Trump, who is challenging Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, has attempted to characterize the Biden-Harris administration's handling of recent storms as inadequate. This includes making unsubstantiated claims that aid and funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had been redirected to migrants.

Vice President Harris, in an interview with CNN, emphasized the perilous nature of such misinformation, stating, "It is dangerous – it is unconscionable, frankly, that anyone who would consider themselves a leader would mislead desperate people to the point that those desperate people would not receive the aid to which they are entitled, and that's why I call it dangerous."

When questioned about Trump's motives for disseminating misinformation, Biden expressed uncertainty, remarking, "I simply don't know. You can speculate, but I just find it - I've used the phrase more than I've ever used it in my career - it's un-American. It's un-American. It's not who the hell we are."

At least three Republican members of Congress, including Representative Chuck Edwards, whose district in North Carolina was severely affected by flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, denounced the conspiracy theories propagated by their fellow party members regarding the storms.

In an effort to combat misinformation, FEMA has created a dedicated page on its website titled "Hurricane Rumor Response." The purpose of this page is to dispel rumors, including the false claim that the agency was preventing people in Florida from accessing assistance.

Hurricane Milton Live: Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a category 3 on Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday, bringing with it a trio of hazards: fierce winds, potentially fatal storm surge, and the risk of extensive flooding. The hurricane's strength was fueled by the abnormally high temperatures of the Gulf of Mexico, allowing it to reach Category 5 status twice before hitting land.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami reported that the hurricane's landfall occurred in the vicinity of Siesta Key, situated in Sarasota County. The Gulf Coast of Florida, which includes the densely populated cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers, was directly in the path of the impending deadly storm surge.

As Milton traverses the Florida peninsula, it is anticipated to bring substantial rainfall, potentially causing inland flooding in areas near rivers and lakes. The storm is expected to retain its hurricane status before moving into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.

Hurricane Milton's impact is particularly devastating for a region that is still in the process of recovering from the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. The previous storm inflicted significant damage to coastal communities through storm surge and resulted in the loss of twelve lives in the seaside areas of Pinellas County alone.