FORT PIERCE: The death toll from Hurricane Milton has risen to at least 16, officials in Florida reported on Friday, as residents began the challenging task of rebuilding their lives and homes.
Nearly 2.5 million households and businesses remain without power, with many areas still flooded in the storm’s wake as it cut a path from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean.
Hurricane Milton struck the Florida Gulf Coast late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, unleashing powerful winds that devastated communities already grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene two weeks prior, which claimed 237 lives across the southeastern US, including Florida.
While floodwaters caused significant destruction, it appears that tornadoes, rather than flooding, were responsible for many of the storm’s fatalities. “It was pretty scary,” said 70-year-old Susan Stepp, a resident of Fort Pierce, where four people died due to a tornado spawned by Milton. “They did find some people just outside dead, in a tree. I wish they would have evacuated.”
Her husband, Bill, recounted the terrifying experience: “A tornado picked up my 22-ton motor home and threw it across the yard.” He added, “It’s scary and heartbreaking to see so much damage and everything you really love just gone, but it’s only things, and we’re still here.”
Local officials reported at least six deaths in St. Lucie County, four in Volusia County, two in Pinellas County, and one each in Hillsborough, Polk, Orange, and Citrus counties. The storm downed power lines, ripped off the roof of the Tampa baseball stadium, and flooded homes, but Florida managed to avoid the catastrophic devastation that many had feared. “The storm was significant, but thankfully this was not the worst-case scenario,” said Governor Ron DeSantis at a news conference.
The National Weather Service issued 126 tornado warnings across the state on Wednesday, the highest number ever recorded in a single day since 1986, according to hurricane expert Michael Lowry. “It is not easy to think you have everything and suddenly you have nothing,” said Lidier Rodriguez, who was forced to evacuate his flooded apartment near Tampa Bay.
Ongoing Rescue Efforts
Search operations continued on Friday, with the Coast Guard reporting the dramatic rescue of a boat captain who weathered the storm by clinging to a cooler in the Gulf of Mexico. “This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner,” said Dana Grady, chief of the US Coast Guard’s Sector St. Petersburg command center.
President Joe Biden urged residents to stay indoors following the storm due to hazardous conditions created by downed power lines and debris. In a video shared on social media, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump expressed his prayers for Florida residents affected by the storm and encouraged them to vote for him. “Hopefully, on January 20th you’re going to have somebody that’s really going to help you like never before,” he said, referencing the presidential inauguration date.
Hurricane Helene struck Florida just weeks prior, and the consecutive storms have become a focal point in the political arena, with Trump propagating conspiracy theories that claim Biden and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris are neglecting the victims.
A Wake-Up Call
Experts warn that extreme rainfall and destructive storms are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. As ocean temperatures rise, they release more water vapor, providing additional energy for storms. “There is no question it needs to be a serious wake-up call for everyone in terms of climate change,” said Kristin Joyce, a 72-year-old interior designer surveying the damage in Sarasota Bay.
