Hurricane Milton Strikes Florida, Causing Devastation and Power Outages

Residents of Florida have been urged to remain indoors unless faced with life-threatening emergencies, as Hurricane Milton has made landfall, causing widespread chaos. Local authorities, including police and firefighters, have paused their services in several counties due to severe conditions. Tragically, two individuals have been confirmed dead following a tornado in St. Lucie County, as reported by local officials and confirmed to NBC by a spokesperson for the St. Lucie Fire District.

As of this morning, more than 1.5 million homes and businesses are without power, according to Poweroutage.us, an online tracking website. The areas with the highest outages reported include Hardee County, Sarasota County, and neighboring Manatee County.

“Ferocious” winds have swept through Tampa, as described by a reporter from NBC. The city has already experienced significant rainfall, with six-inch accumulations, and more precipitation is expected, contributing to flash flooding in the area, CNN reports.

A satellite video from the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere captured the moment Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, just south of Sarasota city. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued a severe flood emergency warning impacting approximately two million residents in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater due to already occurring flash floods and further rain anticipated.

In Bradenton, north of Sarasota, storm chaser Ben McMillan described the wind conditions as “extremely violent,” signaling ongoing deterioration and storm surges impacting the area. “The last few moments have gotten extremely violent with the wind,” McMillan reported to NBC News.

The hurricane’s strength, previously downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 3 storm, still poses significant dangers. Local reports recall the Tampa mayor warning that those not evacuating are “in their coffins” due to the storm’s unprecedented power.