Life-threatening hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida, flash floods likely
Hurricane Milton, now a Category 3 storm, made landfall and struck Florida near the coastal community of Siesta Key, after weakening from a Category 5 storm on Wednesday morning.
While Milton slightly weakened on Wednesday afternoon to a Category 3 hurricane, the third-highest level, it was growing in size as it approached Florida and remained extremely dangerous with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph), the hurricane centre said.
More than 1 million homes and businesses were without power Wednesday in Florida, reports said. The highest number of outages were in Sarasota County and neighboring Manatee County.
Heavy rains were also likely to cause flooding inland along rivers and lakes as Milton traverses the Florida peninsula as a hurricane. In a state already battered by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago, as many as two million people were ordered to evacuate, and at least a million others live in the projected path of the storm.
Both storms are expected to cause untold billions of dollars in damage. Once past Florida, it should weaken over the western Atlantic, possibly dropping below hurricane strength on Thursday night.
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US President Joe Biden warned that Hurricane Milton is expected to be one of the “most and worst destructive hurricanes to hit Florida in over a century”. He also urged people to follow local safety protocols and recommendations. “It’s literally a matter of life and death,” Biden said at a briefing.
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Around two million people have been asked to evacuate just weeks after thousands lost their homes due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. At least a million others live in the projected path of the storm.
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In a post on X as Milton made landfall, the Florida Division of Emergency Management appealed for residents to “continue to shelter in place and remain vigilant”. “Deadly hazards and conditions are present well into Thursday as the storm continues to move across the state,” the agency said.
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Several celebrities in the US joined the lineup for a star-studded benefit concert, and Taylor Swift donated to hunger relief efforts to help people affected by Hurricane Helene and Milton. Swift gave $5 million to the nonprofit group Feeding America to assist in the storms’ aftermath, according to a social media post from the group.
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Over 1 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida on Wednesday. The highest number of outages were in Sarasota County — where the storm made landfall — and in neighboring Manatee County.
