Biden assured that the passage of Hurricane Milton through Florida left material damage estimated at USD 50,000 million – Diario La Página –

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, reported this Friday that <a href="https://www.world-today-news.com/florida-braces-for-another-major-hurricane-as-tropical-storm-milton-strengthens-after-helenes-destruction/" title="Florida Braces for Another Major Hurricane as Tropical Storm Milton Strengthens After Helene's Destruction”>Hurricane Milton has caused damage estimated at around $50 billion after hitting the state of Florida.

The cyclone, which made landfall on Wednesday night, has left at least 17 dead, in addition to extensive flooding and destruction in several areas of the state.

“Experts estimate that Milton alone caused around $50 billion in damage,” Biden declared from the White House, where he updated reporters on the hurricane’s impact.

The president also confirmed that the federal government is mobilizing resources to assist the affected communities and will travel to Florida this Sunday to personally assess the damage.

Milton reached the west coast of Florida at Siesta Key, near Sarasota, with sustained winds of up to 205 kilometers per hour, classifying it as a Category 3 hurricane.

After crossing the peninsula, the cyclone exited the east coast towards the Atlantic on Thursday morning, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Although it did not generate the feared worst-case scenario, the impact has been devastating, especially in the center and south of the state, where the tornadoes associated with the system have been responsible for the majority of reported deaths.

Massive power outages and property damage
The PowerOutage.us portal reported that more than 2.2 million customers in Florida were left without electricity due to the strong winds and heavy rains that accompanied Milton. As of Friday night, nearly 1.9 million homes and businesses were still without power, especially affecting the counties of Hardee, Hillsborough, Charlotte, Manatee, Sarasota and Pinellas, which received the greatest impact from the hurricane.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that the number of fatalities could increase as search and rescue efforts continue in the most affected areas.

According to DeSantis, authorities continue to assess the damage and deploy emergency teams to restore basic services and ensure the safety of citizens.

“We are working with all our might to rescue people who are in danger and restore access to electricity as quickly as possible,” the governor said, adding that many areas remain inaccessible due to the damage caused by the hurricane.

One of the hardest hit counties has been St. Lucie, on Florida’s east coast, where tornadoes associated with Milton claimed the lives of at least six people.

According to local authorities, several of these tornadoes arrived before the full impact of the hurricane and hit residential areas, such as the Spanish Lakes Country Village senior community, located in north Fort Pierce.

The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that one of the most powerful tornadoes was classified as EF3, with winds ranging between 225 and 240 kilometers per hour. This phenomenon, which destroyed homes and businesses, traveled a distance of at least 19 kilometers, although investigations indicate that it could have been even more extensive.

Authorities have expressed concern about the impact of these tornadoes on vulnerable areas, where many residents were not able to evacuate in time.

Milton’s impact comes less than two weeks after the devastating passage of Hurricane Helene, which hit northwest Florida with a category 4 on September 26.

Helene left a trail of destruction in six states in the southeastern United States, causing the death of more than 230 people and seriously affecting communities in the region.