Hurricane Milton: First reports of fatalities as storm ransacks Florida
Tragic reports are emerging of the first fatalities caused by Hurricane Milton, with a retirement village reportedly being hit.
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President Joe Biden has declared a federal emergency in Florida as a once in a century hurricane makes landfall on the state’s west coast.
Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, in Sarasota, with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour (193 km/h), the National Hurricane Center announced at 8.30pm on Wednesday US time.
The category 3 storm hit on Florida’s west coast, where four million people live.
It was earlier reported it was likely to hit between Tampa and Fort Myers. It could then streak across the state, hitting Orlando, Cape Canaveral, Daytona Beach and the city of Melbourne, named after its Australian counterpart. Six major airports – including Orlando, which is the US’ seventh busiest – have closed.
Conditions were already so wild in the storm-battered state of Florida that a series of huge tornadoes have been careening through.
The US National Weather Service has issued 90 tornado warnings in a single day – the most ever recorded in Florida.
The Weather Service has said it’s now too late to flee.
“It’s time to shelter-in-place,” it said in a statement. “Unless a life-threatening situation arises, stay indoors.”
US President Joe Biden said it was shaping up to be the “storm of the century”.
Vice President Kamala Harris added: “This storm is unlike anything we’ve seen before”.
“We got a lot of tough strong people in Florida who have been through a lot of hurricanes, tornadoes, but this is not like anything they’ve dealt with before,” Ms Harris said.
‘We don’t know what we’ll see’: Florida wakes to destruction
It is currently just past 3am (6pm AEST) in Floria and officials are dreading the scene once the sun rises. The storm has raged through the night and caused widespread destruction, while flood waters continue to inundate.
Some 2.8 million homes are without power and many have been cut off from nearby hospitals.
“We don’t know what we’re going to see when it’s daylight here,” Tampa City Council Chairman Guido Maniscalco said on CNN.
“The wind is terrifying, I’ve never heard anything like it, and I’ve been in Tampa my whole life.”
Millions in darkness
Currently, more than 3 million people in Florida are without power. Florida Power & Light Company reports over 1 million outages.
Duke Energy customers are facing nearly 723,000 outages. Tampa Electric has about 586,000 customers affected.
Various local utilities also report outages ranging from thousands to tens of thousands across the state.
Milton downgraded
The National Hurricane Center stated in a 3am ET (6pm AEST) update that Milton’s sustained wind speeds had decreased to 85 mp/h (136km/h), indicating that it is still a Category 1 Hurricane more than six hours after making landfall.
The storm was located 45 miles (72 km) east-southeast of Orlando at 3am (6pm AEST), according to the NHC. It was moving east-northeast at 16 mp/h (26 km/h). A gust of 81 mp/h (130 km/h) was recorded at Daytona Beach International Airport.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3.
‘Path of destruction’: First fatalities reported in St. Lucie
Reports from St. Lucie have revealed Hurricane Milton “left a path of destruction” at a mobile home retirement village.
Authorities say at least one person died as a result of the carnage.
“We are not going to get into how many, but I can tell you it’s more than one person who has lost their life that we already discovered,” St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said via CNN.
As of now, the only fatalities appeared to be at the retirement village, but countless homes in the region were “completely totalled” by the ferocious storm.
Milton has now been downgraded to a Category 1, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Crane falls on building in St. Petersburg
A crane in the middle of St. Petersburg has come tumbling down as Hurricane Milton lashes the city.
Images showed the crane on the ground surrounded by debris after it plummeted to the ground. The city has confirmed nobody was injured in the collapse.
Construction companies have reportedly been caught off-guard by the sudden emergence of Milton and did not have enough time to move large cranes before the onslaught.
Stadium’s roof blows off amid Milton chaos
The dome roof of Florida’s popular Tropicana Field has been blown off as winds from Hurricane Milton batter the region. Footage shared on social media shows what was left of the canvas flapping in the wind, exposing the 42-000 seat stadium to the elements.
To make matters worse, emergency services had kitted out the sports field with thousands of temporary beds for those without a home during the chaotic weather event.
“The Trop”, the home stadium of the MLB team the Tampa Bay Rays, was built to withstand winds of up to 185kmh and has been thoroughly put to the test in this storm.
The roof is supported by 290 kilometres of cables connected and has been dubbed the “world’s largest cable-supported domed roof”.
It was unclear for some time if people were sheltering inside when the roof broke open. Captain Garth Swingle of St. Petersburg Fire Rescue told US outlets that they have been contact with the people inside and confirmed they were safe.
Bizarre sight in eye of hurricane
Keen-eyed weather trackers claim there are several birds trapped in the eye of Hurricane Milton as it wreaks havoc across the US
“We can see a blue-gray circle in the middle of the screen. These are most likely birds stick in the eye of Hurricane Milton,” AtticRadar posted to X citing extreme weather tracker Colin McCarthy.
It is “fairly common” to find certain types of birds inside a hurricane, US scientist Andrew Farnsworth says.
It is most likely the birds are some kind of migratory seabird, likely sooty terns.
“It’s a very aerial species; sometimes the birds won’t touch down for many months at a time. So, a hurricane is a perfect vehicle to wrap them up and transport them far away,” Farnsworth said via Mongbay.
After Hurricane Helene, sooty terns, native to the Caribbean, were found more than 1,600 kilometers away in Indiana.
“They travel with the storm, and then when the storm sort of blows apart, the birds get deposited.”
Biden declares federal emergency for Hurricane Milton
President Joe Biden has approved requests to declare a federal disaster in Florida.
Thedeclaration unlocks resources to help efforts including individual financial aid, disaster supplies including food and water, and mobilising the National Guard.
“In preparation for tonight’s landfall, I have approved emergency declaration requests from the State and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, The official POTUS X account stated.
In preparation for tonight’s landfall, I have approved emergency declaration requests from the State and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. We have thousands of federal personnel on the ground. And we have staged 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 10, 2024
At my direction,… pic.twitter.com/AckE5bEw2m
“We have thousands of federal personnel on the ground. And we have staged 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water.
“At my direction, Secretary of Defense Austin has pre-positioned search and rescue teams, helicopters, and high-water vehicles as close to the storm as possible so they are ready to conduct life-saving missions.”
‘SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!’: Florida hit by flash flood emergency
A flash flooding emergency has been declared in the Tampa Bay area, with residents being warned to flee to higher ground.
“Between 10 and 14 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is already occurring,” the National Weather Service warned.
“This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!”
The emergency will be in place until 2.30am Thursday.
Flash Flood Emergency continues for Tampa FL, Saint Petersburg FL and Clearwater FL until 2:30 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/w2KDHMQKpp
— NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) October 10, 2024
Authorities are also reporting major flooding in the cities of Naples and Fort Myers on the state’s west coast, as Hurricane Milton makes landfall.
In Naples, Milton’s storm surge has caused water levels to rise 3.7 feet (1.13 meters) above normally dry ground.
Water levels have reached nearly three feet (0.9 metres) in Fort Myers.
It comes after worrying footage shared on social media shows The Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore standing in rushing water in a carpark in Charlotte Harbor, 160km south of Tampa Bay, before Hurricane Milton made landfall
Over one million people without power
Over 1.2 million people in Florida have been left without power as Hurrican Milton made landfall.
According to PowerOutageUS, over 1.16 million people in Florida were without power as of 9.20pm local time, with most outages concentrated in the Tampa Bay region.
Horror footage shows giant waves headed for Florida
Terrifying drone footage has captured 28-foot waves outside Florida as Milton closes in.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shared the footage on social media, reporting waves had reached 28.12 feet while wind gusts had climbed over 75 miles per hour (over 122 km per hour).
The giant waves were recorded 40 nautical miles from the centre of the storm.
‘You are going to die’: Unbelievable decision as mega storm unleashes
Some hard-headed Floridians have ignored repeated, dire warnings to get the hell out of dodge.
“I guess I’m going down with the ship if I have to,” Florida local, Marc Tucker, told the New York Post.
“I live about four blocks from the water. All my neighbours have gone. I’m the only one left on my block. Everyone left but me. They all want me to call them to let them know I’m safe.”
Mr Tucker said he’s not leaving, despite Tampa Mayor Jane Castor telling residents in mandatory evacuation zones that “If you choose to stay … you are going to die.”
“I have a fear of leaving and coming back to a mess or not being able to get back to my house at all,” he said.
Mr Tucker is confident the storm will land further south of the Tampa Bay area, a possibility that would lessen Milton’s potentially disastrous impacts. If it doesn’t, he thinks he’s prepared anyway.
“I’ve got rechargeable batteries charged up for flashlights, I’ve got a generator for food, I’ve got two vehicles full of gas, I’ve got 25 gallons of gas in jugs,” he said.
Other than a handful of holdouts, the streets of St. Petersburg and Tampa were all but empty by Wednesday morning — with some 6.5 million Floridians evacuating inland to avoid the worst of Milton.
Another holdout ignoring evacuation orders is 74-year-old George Beaty, who plans to shelter with his wife in their longtime Gulfport home at the end of the peninsula.
“Hopefully my house don’t blow away,” Beaty said. “This one’s supposed to hit hard. I’m not one to scare but I’m a little scared.”
“My wife is worried the house is going to blow away. Every five minutes she all yak, yak, yak, ‘Move those flower pots, get the bird feeder down.’”
Counties suspend emergency services
A number of counties in Florida have temporarily suspended emergency services as the hurricane closes in.
“Due to hazardous conditions, emergency services are suspended,” Manatee County said in a statement on Wednesday night (US time).
“911 emergency calls will be logged and queued based on priority and will be responded to as soon as safe to do so. Please shelter in place.”
Pinellas and Pasco Counties, both of which are located in the path of the hurricane, have also paused emergency services.
“Shelter in place NOW” Pinellas County warned in a statement.
“Settle into a safe place and stay put until the threat has passed and it is safe to go outside.”
Hurricane so large, it’s spawned tornadoes
Tornadoes in isolation are usually a major, and extremely dangerous, weather event.
But Hurricane Milton is so large and angry it has created its own tornadoes ahead of its path exacerbating the misery in Florida.
At least 15 tornadoes have been confirmed on Wednesday, US time.
One huge tornado was seen near Fort Myers, more than 200km south of Tampa, on Wednesday. Another was spotted in Lorida, 160km inland. A tornado also hit the interstate 75 motorway, which is a crucial escape route across otherwise mostly inaccessible wetlands from the hurricane hot zone to Miami.
“This is a very favourable environment for quick-moving and dangerous tornadoes,” said the US’ National Weather Service.
Tornadoes can form in thunderstorm bands “well away from the centre of the hurricane,” the service said.
Online, others were more succinct: “It’s a tornado, wtf,” said one social media user.
Chilling advice as storm moves in
Florida Attorney-General Ashley Moody issued a chilling piece of advice for residents not following evacuation orders as Milton closes in.
“You probably need to write your name in permanent marker on your arm so that people know who you are when they get to you afterwards,” Ms Moody said on the US’ National Public Radio.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis assured residents they have options that don’t require fleeing far.
“You can evacuate tens of miles; you do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles away,” he said, promising that fuel supplies would hold up for those needing to escape.
Following Ms Moody’s advice, some residents who are unwilling or unable to flee have taken to social media to share photos of their names and date of birth scrawled on their arms in permanent marker.
In one heartbreaking video shared on TikTok, a mother filmed herself writing her details on her and her two children’s hands.
“Praying for you and your family,” one person commented on the video.
“Please call 911 and ask them to take you to a shelter,” said another.
“Find a way to put a sign on the window or write it on the window boards if you have, ‘We Stayed’ and how many people. So they know you’re there after!” another suggested.
‘Do not do this’: Cops rescue dog left tied to fence
Cops have come to the rescue of a helpless dog whose heartless owner left him to die tied to a fence in stomach-deep water in Tampa.
Florida Highway Patrol officers discovered the abandoned dog barking desperately for help Wednesday morning, as the outer edge of the enormous storm was already dumping heavy rain in the area.
The officers parked their patrol vehicles and trudged across a soggy field next to Interstate 75, rescuing the terrified animal in the nick of time.
“Do NOT do this to your pets please …” the agency urged, sharing the heartbreaking and outrageous video on X.
The terrified dog “is safe and receiving care,” the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor wrote on X a few hours after the innocent pup’s brush with death captivated and enraged the internet.
“Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health,” they wrote alongside a photo of the rescued dog in the back of a patrol car with a warm fleece blanket.
Too late too leave ‘deadly and catastrophic’ storm
The US’ National Weather Service has now told people to “shelter in place” saying it is too late to flee.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said those in the hurricane’s path can still find shelter in specially kitted out refuge centres in the strongest buildings in communities.
It’s time to shelter-in-place from #Milton. Tropical-storm force winds, flooding rains, and tornadoes are spreading inland across FL. Unless a life-threatening situation arises, stay indoors and follow updates. pic.twitter.com/yplcIhwjIR
— National Weather Service (@NWS) October 9, 2024
Officials aren’t pulling their punches when it come to describing Milton in an effort to get the last residents in its path to move.
On Wednesday, Deanne Criswell, head of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was blunt when she said Hurricane Milton will bring a “deadly and catastrophic” storm.
Hurricane could change US coastline ‘forever’
Hurricane Milton is expected to be so ferocious, it will cover nearly every beach on Florida’s west coast — and forever change the Sunshine State’s coastline, experts have warned.
At least 95 per cent of Florida’s west coast beaches are forecast to be inundated — or continuously covered by ocean water — when the hurricane hits.
“This is the most severe level of coastal change,” the US Geological Survey (USGS) warned – while saying that “Milton’s waves and surge” could cause “erosion and overwash” to 100 per cent of the state’s beaches.
“The significance of the coastal change forecast for Milton’s impact to the Florida west coast cannot be overstated,” USGS scientist Kara Doran said.
Imagery from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) after Hurricane Helene showed Florida’s west coast already experienced “overwash or inundation and complete erosion of those dunes,” meaning protective banks of sand usually along the shoreline no longer exist in many locations, the expert noted.
Heart-stopping moment storm chasers fly into eye of hurricane
Brave storm chasers have filmed the heart-stopping moment they were battered by extreme turbulence while flying into the eye of the hurricane to collect crucial data.
Scary footage shows scientists from the NOAA being thrown around the flight.
The aircraft named “Miss Piggy” was collecting data on the hurricane on Tuesday morning when the footage was captured.
The fearless scientists bump around the cabin and documents are thrown around as the men are forced to hang on.
The jolts are so strong that floorboards come up and important sensors break.
Nick Underwood, who filmed the footage, took to X after the clip went viral online.
“Pardon my Appalachian hoots and hollers but this is right up there with the Ian flight from two years ago. Floor panels came up. Dropsondes (weather recon device) broke. A mess in the cabin,” he wrote.
“All that turbulence and we still get the dropsonde out to collect data.
“This is the job. Important work.”
Major attractions like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios remained open on Tuesday, though Disney said it planned to close campgrounds and rental cabins in more vulnerable wooded areas as a precaution.
– with Alex Blair and the New York Post
Originally published as Hurricane Milton: First reports of fatalities as storm ransacks Florida
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