Hurricane Milton, now a Category 3 storm, made landfall in Florida near the coastal community of Siesta Key after weakening to a Category 5 storm Wednesday morning.
While Milton weakened slightly Wednesday afternoon to a Category 3 hurricane, the third-highest level, it grew in size as it neared Florida and remained extremely dangerous with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph), the center said. the hurricanes.
More than 1 million homes and businesses were without power Wednesday in Florida, reports said. The highest number of outages were in Sarasota County and neighboring Manatee County.
Heavy rains will likely cause inland flooding of rivers and lakes as Milton crosses the Florida peninsula as a hurricane. In a state already battered by Hurricane Helena two weeks ago, about two million people have been ordered to evacuate and at least a million more live in the storm’s expected path.
Both storms are expected to cause untold billions of dollars in damage. After passing Florida, it should weaken over the western Atlantic, possibly falling to hurricane strength Thursday night.
US President Joe Biden has warned that Hurricane Milton is expected to be one of the “most destructive and worst hurricanes to hit Florida in over a century”. He also urged people to follow local safety protocols and recommendations. “This is literally a matter of life and death,” Biden said at a briefing.
About two million people were asked to evacuate just weeks after thousands lost their homes due to damage caused by Hurricane Helen. At least a million others live in the storm’s expected path.
In an X post as Milton made landfall, the Florida Department of Emergency Management urged residents to “continue to shelter in place and remain vigilant.” “Deadly hazards and conditions remain in place Thursday as the storm continues to move across the state,” the agency said.
Several US celebrities joined the band for a star-studded benefit concert, with Taylor Swift donating to hunger relief efforts to help those affected by Hurricanes Helena and Milton. Swift gave $5 million to the nonprofit Feeding America to help deal with the aftermath of the storms, according to a social media post from the group.
More than 1 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida on Wednesday. The largest number of outages were in Sarasota County – where the storm made landfall – and neighboring Manatee County.
