credit, EPA
Hurricane Milton it left a trail of destruction in Florida when it hit the American state between Wednesday night (10/9) and Thursday morning (10/10).
At least 16 people died as a result of the hurricane. As rescue teams work in affected areas, this number could increase.
The hurricane left Florida towards the Atlantic Ocean, but so far, 3 million buildings are without electricity due to the impact on the grid. Milton brought tornadoes and floods and is still more of a threat storms south of the United States.
Authorities are asking people not to go out to see areas affected by the hurricane, as that could hinder the movement of first responders.
Milton became a hurricane of category five (the worst), Florida hit as division three and was demoted to division one.
It hit Florida two weeks after Hurricane Helene killed at least 225 people in the same state, as well as Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina (this was the state most affected) . Hundreds of people are still missing.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said at least 125 homes – many of them prefabricated – were destroyed as a result of Milton.
In the city of St. Petersburg, the population has no access to drinking water, because it was necessary to turn off the supply system due to damage caused by the hurricane.
All residents have been advised to boil the water they use for drinking, cooking and brushing their teeth.
In the same city, the roof of the Tropicana Field stadium was destroyed and a plane crashed into the Tampa Bay Times newspaper building – but there are no reports of deaths or injuries in that incident.
3 million buildings without electricity
More than 3 million homes and businesses are without power in Florida, according to the latest data.
People in North Carolina and Georgia are also affected.
The hurricane spawned a few tornadoes throughout the day, including a large tornado that crossed a stretch of interstate highway known as Alligator Alley.
On the Atlantic coast, police say several people died at a resort after multiple tornadoes struck within a short period of 20 minutes.
Before the hurricane hit, state authorities had evacuated nearly 10,000 National Guard members, making up to 20 million food packages and 40 million gallons of water ready for distribution.
credit, Mike/Reuters Weather Page
Two weeks after another hurricane
The Tampa Bay metropolitan area, with three million inhabitants, was very alert about the potential impact of the storm.
Millions of people left danger areas with mandatory evacuation orders in 15 counties on the west coast of Florida.
Authorities warned that anyone who failed to do so could lose their life.
“It’s a matter of life and death,” said US President Joe Biden.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that the state has prepared dozens of shelters outside evacuation zones to help residents after the “monstrous” storm.
Long lines formed at gas stations in South Florida when some stations started running out of fuel.
DeSantis said fuel was being transported to stations, and electric vehicle charging stations were also installed along roads to make it easier for people to evacuate.
All this comes as the US government warns that cleanup efforts after Hurricane Helene could take years.
Helene was the continent’s deadliest storm since Katrina in 2005.
About 12,000 cubic meters of debris were removed in less than two days from areas affected by Helene in Florida, according to authorities.
Hundreds of roads remain closed, hampering efforts to deliver aid to the hardest-hit communities.
To date, Biden has approved nearly $140 million in federal aid.
2024-10-10 23:46:00
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