According to US authorities, most of the deaths were apparently not caused by the “hurricane” directly, but by the tornadoes that “Milton” triggered before it made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast. “Milton” swept from west to east over Florida on Thursday night.
The hurricane tore down trees and power lines, and houses were damaged or destroyed. In the city of St. Petersburg, the storm covered the roof of a stadium. In the previous days, the highest alert level had been in place, with authorities warning of a once-in-a-century storm with absolutely devastating consequences.
The major catastrophe ultimately failed to materialize, but at least 16 people were killed and the damage caused was extensive. According to authorities, six deaths were counted in St. Lucie County, four in Volusia County, two in Pinellas and one each in four other counties.
“Milton” made landfall on the Siesta Key peninsula on the west coast of Florida. Like many other of the approximately 5,500 residents, 67-year-old Mark Horner has since returned to get an idea of the extent of the damage. “It was said that it was better than feared – but if you look at the situation a little more closely, you can see that we have been hit really hard,” he said.
“It was pretty scary,” said Susan Stepp of Fort Pierce, a city on Florida’s east coast where four residents of a senior housing complex were killed by a tornado. “They found dead people outside in a tree,” reported the 70-year-old. “I wish they had gotten to safety.”
Stepp’s husband, Bill, said the tornado lifted his 22-ton RV and sent it flying across the yard. It was “heartbreaking” to see how much damage had been done and “that all the things you love are just gone,” said the 72-year-old. “But they’re just things, and we’re still here.”
Rescue and recovery work continued. The Coast Guard reported on the spectacular rescue of a boat captain who was shipwrecked during the storm in the Gulf of Mexico and survived by clinging to a cooler in the water. “This man survived what was a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced sailor,” said Dana Grady of the Coast Guard.
72-year-old Kristin Joyce photographed uprooted trees and other storm damage in the region. The hurricane must be “a serious wake-up call” for people in the United States about climate change, she said.
A rapid analysis published on Friday by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) research initiative came to the conclusion that, due to climate change, “Milton’s” rainfall was 20 to 30 percent heavier and its winds were ten percent heavier.
Milton hit Florida just two weeks after Storm Helene. “Helene” made landfall a little further north and then moved through several states in the southeastern United States. At least 237 people were killed by “Helene”, numerous buildings were damaged or completely destroyed, and large areas were flooded. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, “Helene” was the most serious storm in the region in 50 years.
