Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida as category 3 storm
Hurricane Milton, a fierce storm, made its approach to Florida’s west coast on Wednesday night, hitting land as a Category 3 cyclone and bringing with it a devastating storm surge. Richard Luscombe in Miami reported that the storm, which President Biden has labeled “the storm of the century,” made landfall near Sarasota just after 8:30 PM ET. The cyclone generated life-threatening storm surges that impacted heavily populated areas such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
Although Milton weakened somewhat due to wind shear before hitting the coast, it had previously intensified to a Category 5 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico, making it one of the most powerful storms to strike the U.S. mainland in recent memory. This storm marks the second direct impact on Florida in just 12 days, following the destructive path of Hurricane Helene through the panhandle.
As Milton neared land, authorities declared a flash flood emergency for the Tampa Bay area, which saw St. Petersburg inundated with over 16 inches of rain on Wednesday alone. The storm’s widespread wind field also triggered multiple tornado warnings throughout South Florida, with reports of at least seven tornadoes touching down, including one in Fort Myers that caused significant damage by ripping off the roof of a home.
Governor Ron DeSantis expressed cautious optimism that Florida’s west coast might avoid the worst of the predicted storm surge, which could see seawater levels rise as high as 13 feet. Tornado damage has already been reported across several counties, with around 125 homes, primarily mobile homes, destroyed. Over 1.3 million households and businesses are currently without power.
“It’s too dangerous to evacuate safely at this point, so you need to shelter in place and hunker down,” DeSantis emphasized while sharing updates on the storm’s landfall. Evacuations had been ordered for millions in coastal regions due to the potential for a life-threatening storm surge that could reach heights of up to 15 feet.
Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa issued a stark warning for those who remained in their homes, stating that they could be putting their lives at risk. Holmes Beach Police Chief William Tokajer took precautions further by advising those who stayed behind to write their identification details on their arms for post-storm identification.
In light of the emergency, Governor DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 51 out of the state’s 67 counties. From the White House, President Biden addressed the nation, stressing the severity of the situation: “It’s looking like the storm of the century. It’s literally a matter of life and death.” He also criticized misinformation from some political figures claiming that federal recovery funds were being allocated to immigrants.
The National Hurricane Center has indicated that Milton will continue to be classified as a hurricane as it moves across Florida toward the east, passing over Orlando before heading into the Atlantic. Forecasters have issued warnings of heavy rainfall across the peninsula, raising alarm about the potential for catastrophic and life-threatening flooding.
