In the wake of Hurricane Milton, Florida is starting to assess the damage left behind by the mega storm

Hurricane Milton made swift work of devastating Florida with severe floods and wind damage. Assessments of the destruction are underway today.

Flood
Hurricane Milton brought over a foot of rain and towering storm surge to Florida overnight.

Over 3 million customers are without power this morning in the wake of Hurricane Milton. Damage assessment and cleanup crews are on the scene starting to survey the damage caused by the superstorm. What they are revealing in the damage is an eerie sight full of destruction that is going to take a while to recover from.

The storm made landfall last night around 8:30pm near Siesta Key, FL. It powered across the Florida peninsula overnight, maintaining its hurricane classification across the state. Evacuation orders have been lifted, but officials are urging folks not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

At least 10 deaths confirmed this morning

Milton proved to be deadly last night, especially as the storm brought rounds of powerful tornadoes ahead of landfall. Five of the ten storm related deaths so far have been attributed to the tornadoes that swept through St. Lucie County. As cleanup continues this death toll is expected to rise.

The tornado damage left many residents in a precarious spot as it destroyed homes where some were sheltering in place and added to the amount of debris around that the hurricane winds used as projectiles. Florida saw a record breaking number of tornado warnings yesterday ahead of the hurricane.

The strong winds did not stop with the tornadoes, though. Overnight, the hurricane brought gusts as fast as 105 miles per hour in the Tampa Bay. These winds leveled buildings and power lines, leaving over 3.4 million in the dark.

Some emergency personnel were supposed to shelter at Tropicana Field, home to MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays, when the entire roof was shredded from the winds. In downtown St. Petersburg, the powerful winds sent a crane crashing down into a neighboring building. Fortunately, there are no reported injuries in the incidents.

Torrential downpour and towering storm surge leaving devastating flooding

Some parts of western Florida saw over 18 inches of rain overnight. This morning, much of the area is still underwater as the flood water has yet to fully recced. People should not drive or cross these flood waters as electrical lines, shrapnel, or even chemicals could be hidden.

Conditions are still dangerous as cleanup crews are on the ground working to start putting Florida back together. Local officials will let people know when it is safe to travel freely outside of shelter.