(Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that the fatalities were “attributed to the tornadoes)
Hurricane Milton has wreaked havoc across Florida, with tornadoes spawned by the storm resulting in at least ten fatalities and significant flooding throughout the Tampa Bay area.
The hurricane struck the state on Wednesday, causing extensive damage before it weakened and moved into the Atlantic. Roads were blocked by downed trees and power lines, leading to widespread outages that affected around three million homes and businesses. While many feared floodwaters would be the cause of casualties, it appears that the Hurricane Milton Florida disaster tornadoes flooding are primarily responsible for the tragic deaths.
“It was pretty scary,” shared Susan Stepp, a 70-year-old resident of Fort Pierce, where four individuals in a senior living community lost their lives when a tornado generated by Milton struck. “They found some people dead just outside, caught in a tree,” she added.
The fatalities included five people in St. Lucie County, three in Volusia County, and two in St. Petersburg, according to local authorities. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed to reporters that the deaths “were caused by the tornadoes.”
In Polk County, a road crew member was accidentally struck and killed by a colleague while clearing a fallen tree. Bill Stepp, Susan’s husband, described how a tornado “picked up my 22-ton motor home and threw it across the yard.”
While the southeastern U.S. state experienced significant disruption, it managed to avoid the catastrophic destruction that officials had initially feared. “The storm was significant, but thankfully this was not the worst-case scenario,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis remarked in a news conference.
Hurricane Milton made landfall on the Gulf Coast as a powerful Category 3 storm, unleashing fierce winds on communities still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which had occurred just two weeks earlier, resulting in 237 deaths in the United States.
The National Weather Service reported issuing 126 tornado warnings across Florida on Wednesday—the highest number ever recorded for a single day since 1986, according to hurricane expert Michael Lowry.
As of Thursday evening, rescue operations were underway in Clearwater, where workers evacuated residents stranded by flooding. Justino Torres, 58, expressed uncertainty about returning home after his evacuation, stating, “I’m going to leave it in the hands of God.”
In Sarasota Bay, 72-year-old interior designer Kristin Joyce, who chose not to evacuate, documented the damage caused by the storm. “There is no question it needs to be a serious wake-up call for everyone regarding climate change,” she commented while surveying the destruction.
Scientists note that extreme rainfall and severe storms are becoming increasingly common as climate change escalates. As ocean temperatures rise, more water vapor is released, providing additional energy for storms like those witnessed during this Hurricane Milton Florida disaster tornadoes flooding event.
President Joe Biden, after speaking with Governor DeSantis on Thursday, urged Floridians to remain indoors in the wake of Hurricane Milton Florida disaster tornadoes flooding, emphasizing that downed power lines and debris are creating hazardous conditions.
In a video shared on social media, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump expressed his prayers for the residents affected by the storm alongside his wife, Melania. He urged them to vote for him, stating, “Hopefully, on January 20th you’re going to have somebody that’s really going to help you like never before,” referencing the presidential inauguration date.
The impact of Hurricane Milton Florida disaster tornadoes flooding follows closely on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which struck the state late last month. These back-to-back storms have become a focal point in the election discourse, with Trump spreading conspiracy theories suggesting that Biden and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris are neglecting the victims of these disasters.
This prompted a sharp response from Biden, who labeled Trump as “reckless” and “irresponsible” in light of the situation. The ongoing conversation around the Hurricane Milton Florida disaster tornadoes flooding reflects the heightened political tension as the nation grapples with the effects of severe weather events.
“The Fortunate Bystander”
In Cocoa Beach, located on Florida’s east coast, a tornado emerged from the ocean, shattering nearly all the windows of a hair salon and ripping a section of the roof off a bank. Katherine and Larry Hingle recounted their experience, noting they were on their porch watching the water from a nearby river rise when the tornado struck on Wednesday evening.
“I said, ‘it sounds like a train’s coming,’” Katherine, 53, shared with AFP while taking their dog for a walk to survey the damage.
In Sarasota, resident Carrie Elizabeth echoed the sentiments of many others, expressing relief that, despite the violent night, Hurricane Milton Florida disaster tornadoes flooding were not as devastating as initially feared. “I feel that we’re very lucky,” she said. “It’ll take a long time to clean up, but it could have been much worse.”
