Hurricane Milton, the third major storm to hit Florida this year, has left a trail of destruction across the state, claiming at least 15 lives, and massive amounts of damage. The storm made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday night, retaining hurricane strength as it crossed the state.
The death toll spans multiple counties, with St. Lucie County on the Atlantic coast reporting six fatalities due to tornadoes. St. Petersburg confirmed two storm-related deaths, while Volusia County reported four. In Tampa, a woman in her late 70s died during post-hurricane restoration efforts.
Milton’s impact was intensified by an outbreak of deadly tornadoes. The National Weather Service issued 126 tornado warnings, with 45 tornadoes reported, including an F3 near Palm Beach Gardens.
The storm’s wind speeds reached 105 mph in the Egmont Channel. St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, suffered significant roof damage, while a construction crane in the city toppled onto a building.
Flooding has been severe, with Naples experiencing a 5.78-foot storm surge. Dramatic rescues occurred across the state, including a 14-year-old boy found floating on a piece of fence in Hillsborough County and a man rescued by the Coast Guard after spending the night clinging to an ice chest in the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm’s rainfall was equally staggering. St. Petersburg recorded 18.90 inches, with 5.09 inches falling in just one hour. Lakeland, northeast of Tampa, received 16.67 inches.
As of Friday morning, approximately 2.5 million Florida customers remain without power. In Hillsborough County alone, 72% of customers are affected.
The economic toll is monumental. AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic loss between $160 billion and $180 billion, marking Milton as one of the most damaging storms in Florida history.
Recovery efforts are underway, but the scale of destruction is daunting.
“We will better understand the extent of the damage as the day progresses,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Friday.
Milton’s impact is compounded by its timing, striking just two weeks after Hurricane Helene battered northwestern Florida.