havana/Hurricane Milton, which touched Florida with a category 3 and left it with a category 1, appeared in the Atlantic this Thursday. Its effects are still felt on the east coast of the peninsula and in northern Cuba, where it left floods and sea intrusions. As it progresses, the cyclone will also affect the Bahamas, but the weather is expected to improve starting this Friday.
According to the Islands Weather Institute in their latest report, “some showers and rain are still possible in the west, which for the rest of the country will be more isolated. ”
It is in the United States that Milton left a trail of damage and even nearly a dozen deaths. Due to the impact of the hurricane, deadly tornadoes, severe flooding, and more than 3 million consumers were still without electric service recorded in Florida, as well as causing damage estimated at up to $60 billion. Five of the eleven deaths occurred in St. Lucie County, on the Treasure Coast, as a result of tornadoes associated with Milton, which caused 116 such warnings to be issued, according to the governor of the state, Ron DeSantis .
US President Joe Biden said today that the measures implemented to save lives “made a difference”, but warned that it was still too early to assess the full damage made by the hurricane.
The National Weather Service had to declare an emergency due to flooding in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties
The National Weather Service declared a flood emergency in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, on the west coast of central Florida, due to intense rains that recorded more than 17 inches and powerful winds that uprooted trees and roofs. As a result of the flooding, relief crews had to rescue nearly half a thousand residents from boats and special vehicles that were trapped in an apartment building in Pinellas County.
Nearly 7.3 million Floridians living in fifteen counties had received mandatory evacuation orders, reinforced by the message that it was “a matter of life or death,” as President Biden said Wednesday .
While more than 3 million homes and buildings are still without electricity, the authorities announced a fine of up to $25,000 for whistleblowers and keepers of basic goods, as well as the creation of a special telephone line for complaints.
Authorities are also working quickly to restore power and replenish fuel supplies, DeSantis said Thursday at a news conference in St. Lucie. “Fortunately, Florida, we prepare 50,000 power line installers across the state,” DeSantis said, stressing: “The bottom line is we’ve got to keep providing fuel.”
Most of the gas stations in the areas most exposed to the effects of the hurricane, such as Tampa Bay, are running out of fuel or currently out of fuel, as thousands of people filling their tanks to go on the road.
