🚨 Rescue teams raced against time Thursday to pull residents from floodwaters and debris after Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida, leaving at least 10 dead and 3.4 million households without power. The storm, arriving just weeks after Hurricane Helene’s chaos, ripped roofs off buildings, triggered deadly tornadoes, and transformed coastal communities into scenes of 'utter devastation,' officials said.
Coastal Towns Turned 'War Zones'
🏠 Homes were shredded into splinters, streets submerged in mud, and a baseball stadium’s roof tossed like confetti as Milton made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane. A toppled construction crane added to the apocalyptic visuals. 'Water levels could keep rising for days,' warned authorities, urging residents to avoid flooded areas.
Tornadoes Wreak Havoc
🌀 Five lives were lost in tornadoes at Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce, where entire neighborhoods were flattened. In Tampa, a woman was found dead under a fallen tree branch—a grim reminder of the storm’s unpredictable fury.
Mass Evacuations, Shelters Overwhelmed
⚠️ Over 80,000 people slept in shelters overnight, while thousands fled under mandatory evacuation orders spanning 15 counties. With 7.2 million Floridians urged to leave, many faced agonizing choices as roads turned to rivers.
'This is a marathon, not a sprint,' U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stressed at a White House briefing, pledging federal support for recovery efforts.
