Hurricane Milton: Florida reeling from damage as death toll rises

The clean-up process has started after Hurricane Milton left an immense trail of destruction, and at least 15 people dead. Follow the updates and see the photos.

At least 15 people were killed when Hurricane Milton crashed into Florida and left an immense trail of destruction, even as the storm’s worst-case scenario did not eventuate.

Hundreds of others were rescued the morning after the Category 3 hurricane made landfall, including 135 elderly people who were trapped when their aged care home was flooded and a fisherman who survived losing his boat 50km offshore by clinging to an esky.

About 24 hours after the worst of the storm, 2.9 million households in Florida remained without power, although tens of thousands of workers had managed to restore electricity to half a million homes.

The death toll included six people who were killed when a tornado spawned off from the hurricane and barrelled through a mobile home park for retirees in St Lucie County.

People clean up storm debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. Picture: Getty Images via AFP

Debris litters a beach as clean up from hurricanes Helene and Milton continues along the Gulf Coast. Picture: Getty Images via AFP

Vehicles drive through flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton in Lake Maggiore, Florida, on October 10, 2024. Picture: AFP)

SEE UPDATES BELOW:

BIDEN’S WARNING IN WAKE OF STORM

US President Joe Biden urged Floridians to heed warnings to stay inside in the wake of the storm, with 11 million people at risk of flooding after a storm surge swept the state’s coastline and torrential downpours sparked flash flooding in areas that had been deemed safe.

“There are still very dangerous conditions in the state and people should wait to be given the all-clear by their leaders before they go out,” he said.

AUSSIE EXPATS CAUGHT UP IN DISASTER

Australian expats were among those caught up in the natural disaster, with Matthew Leyshon returning to his Tampa home after evacuating to find his backyard had flooded and water had risen up to 15cm inside his back room. A huge branch snapped off a tree, narrowly missing the house the ex-Sydney resident shared with his wife and two children.

“These things are brutal,” he said.

Beauty salon owner Deborah Belcher – originally from Perth – bunkered down in her Clearwater home on Florida’s west coast as the wind roared to 144km/h.

“I never want to live through anything like that again … Worst experience of my life,” she said.

Damaged household goods sit outside as clean up from hurricanes Helene and Milton continues along the Gulf Coast. Picture: AFP

TROPICANA FIELD ROOF RIPPED OFF

The devastation was also evident at St Petersburg’s Tropicana Field, the Major League Stadium home to the Tampa Bay Rays, where the roof was ripped off and sent flying. The area had been blasted by winds of 162km/h and a whopping 47cm of rain.

The roof of St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field was ripped off in Hurricane Milton. Picture: AFP

COAST GUARD RESCUE MAN FROM ESKY

The rescue effort included Coast Guard members winching a fisherman to safety after he was stranded overnight in the ocean amid 145km/h winds and waves reaching 7.6m.

“This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner,” the Coast Guard’s St Petersburg command centre chief Dana Grady said.

Back on land, a 14-year-old boy was saved by police officers near Tampa as he clung on to a piece of fence in floodwaters, with Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister telling CNN it was “literally like a scene from the Castaway movie”.

WHEELCHAIR-BOUND RESIDENTS STRANDED

The flash flooding also stranded wheelchair-bound residents in a Tampa aged care home, who were forced to spend the night with water up to their waist, as well as more than 500 residents of an apartment building.

“These people weren’t expecting this, but the rain came down so hard, so fast that it completely flooded this apartment complex,” Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector told CNN.

Neighborhoods are inundated in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton in Lake Maggiore, Florida, on October 10, 2024. Picture: AFP

FLORIDA AVOIDED ‘WORST-CASE SCENARIO’: DESANTIS

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state avoided the “worst-case scenario”, with Milton shifting south and preventing a devastating storm surge wiping through the city of Tampa.

“I’ve never seen anything like this, to get a one-two punch like this,” Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott said after Hurricane Helene devastated the area two weeks ago.

Mr DeSantis added: “We’ll survey the damage and get people back on their feet – we’ll get through this.”