At least 10 people have died in Florida after Hurricane Milton unleashed tornadoes across the state, officials confirmed Thursday. While the storm caused flooding, power outages, and property damage, it wasn’t as catastrophic as many had feared.
Hurricane Milton tore through Florida late Wednesday before moving into the Atlantic, leaving behind blocked roads, downed trees, and widespread power outages affecting three million homes and businesses.
In Tampa, the storm ripped off part of a baseball stadium’s roof.
Tornadoes, not flooding, were the main cause of fatalities, with five deaths in St. Lucie County, three in Volusia County, and two in St. Petersburg, according to local officials.
One of the hardest-hit areas was Fort Pierce, where four residents in a senior living community lost their lives after a tornado touched down.
“It was pretty scary,” said 70-year-old Susan Stepp. “They found some people outside, dead in a tree. I wish they had evacuated.”
A road worker in Polk County also died after being struck by a colleague’s vehicle while clearing debris.
Bill Stepp, Susan’s husband, recounted the harrowing moment a tornado picked up their 22-ton motor home. “It’s heartbreaking to see everything gone, but it’s just stuff. We’re still here,” he said.
Governor Ron DeSantis acknowledged the damage but noted that the storm was not as devastating as feared. “Thankfully, this was not the worst-case scenario,” he said at a press conference.
Milton, a Category 3 storm, made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast, impacting communities still reeling from Hurricane Helene, which hit two weeks ago and killed 237 people.
The National Weather Service issued 126 tornado warnings on Wednesday, the highest number ever recorded in a single day for Florida.
Rescue operations are still underway in flood-stricken areas like Clearwater, near Tampa. “We don’t know if we can go back,” said Justino Torres, 58, who was evacuated from his flooded home.
Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of storms like Milton to climate change, as warmer oceans release more energy for storms to develop.
President Joe Biden urged Floridians to stay indoors due to hazardous conditions from downed power lines and debris. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, in a video posted on social media, expressed his support for Florida residents and urged them to vote for him in the upcoming election.
Milton follows closely on the heels of Hurricane Helene, and the successive storms have become political talking points as Trump criticized Biden’s handling of disaster relief. Biden responded, calling Trump “reckless and irresponsible.”
Despite the destruction, many Florida residents expressed relief that the storm wasn’t worse. “I feel we’re very lucky,” said Sarasota resident Carrie Elizabeth. “It’ll take a long time to clean up, but it could have been much worse.”