Florida issued dire warning of fresh storm hours after 120mph devastation - live (2024)

Residents repair their homes and clean up after Hurricane Milton tore through Florida

Florida residents repaired damage from Hurricane Milton and cleaned up debris Friday after the storm smashed through coastal communities and tore homes to pieces, flooded streets and spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes.

At least eight people were dead, but many expressed relief that Milton wasn’t worse. The hurricane spared densely populated Tampa a direct hit, and the lethal storm surge that scientists feared never materialised.

Hurricane Milton was not as destructive as expected, official says

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell admitted that Milton’s impact was not as destructive as feared.

However, she is heading out Friday to see damage from some of the tornadoes that touched down in the Florida.

“We did not have the extreme impacts of the worst case scenario that we prepared for, but there’s still so many people that have been impacted by this,” she said at a press briefing in Sarasota.

She said the 38 twisters that touched down in the state cause “significant damage to a level that Floridians have not seen from tornadoes,” she said.

On Thursday, she toured flooded roads and debris, some of which was left from Hurricane Helene, she said.

Animals at a zoo and an aquarium in Tampa are faring well after the storm

A spokesperson for ZooTampa said all 1,000 animals at the zoo are safe and remained in their night houses and hurricane shelter locations while habitats are cleared of debris. The Florida Aquarium in Tampa also confirmed their animals are “doing well.”

The zoo sustained some damage from the high winds and does not have power, and the spokesperson anticipates the debris cleanup and restoration, which is already underway, will take a few days.

The Florida Aquarium’s buildings in downtown Tampa and Apollo Beach also “appear to have minor weather-related damage,” the aquarium said in a Thursday press release.

How strong was Hurricane Milton?

It reached Category 5 strength with winds of 180 mph while still in the Gulf of Mexico, but then encountered wind shear nearing land that dropped it to Category 3 — less powerful but plenty strong. At landfall, maximum sustained winds were measured at 120 mph.

Storm surge — one of the most devastating elements of any hurricane — was believed to top out at 8 to 10 feet in Sarasota County. That was less than feared. By comparison, Hurricane Ian’s 15-foot storm surge devastated the community of Fort Myers Beach two years ago.

How bad is the damage?

Officials in hard-hit counties have warned people to beware of downed power lines, trees in roads, blocked bridges and flooding. Before Milton even made landfall, heavy rain and tornadoes lashed parts of southern Florida.

The storm knocked out power across a large section of the state, leaving over 3 million homes and businesses without electricity, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports. By 9 p.m., that had dropped to 2.8 million.

In St. Petersburg, a crane working on a 46-story building toppled and a water main break led the city to shut down service. Also the roof of Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, was destroyed.

Just inland from Tampa, the flooding in Plant City was “absolutely staggering,” according to City Manager Bill McDaniel.

The National Weather Service said almost 19 inchesm of rain fell in the St. Petersburg area.

Florida theme parks plan to reopen

As the cleanup continued, Florida's vital tourism industry was beginning to return to normal.

Florida theme parks including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld planned to reopen Friday after an assessment of the effects of the storm.

Orlando International Airport, the state’s busiest, said departures for domestic flights and international flights would resume Friday, after resuming domestic arrivals Thursday evening. The airport had minor damage, including a few leaks and downed trees.

Dramatic rescues across Tampa as millions without power

Arriving just two weeks after the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton knocked out power to more than 3 million customers, flooded barrier islands, tore the roof off a baseball stadium and toppled a construction crane.

Among the most dramatic rescues, Hillsborough County officers found a 14-year-old boy floating on a piece of fence and pulled him onto a boat.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued a man who was left clinging to an ice chest in the Gulf of Mexico after his fishing boat was stranded in waters roiled by Hurricane Milton. The agency estimated the man had survived winds of 75 to 90mph (121 to 145kph) and waves up to 25 feet (7.6 metres) high during his night on the water.

"This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner," Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Dana Grady said.

Death toll rises to at least 16

Officials have confirmed at least 16 people have died in Hurricane Milton.

The death toll is expected to rise in the coming days as emergency personnel in Florida assess the damage caused by Milton’s brutal passage through the state.

So far, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has confirmed there have been 16 fatalities, reports the BBC.

NASA checks for storm damage as Milton delays Europa Clipper launch

NASA has confirmed that it is currently inspecting its iconic Kennedy Space Centre which is located in Cape Canaveral, Florida, for any damage in the wake of the Hurricane.

Once the winds subsided to a safe level, the centre’s Ride Out Team and engineering teams began initial checkouts to ensure bridges are safe and useable," Nasa said in a statement, adding that they will later "thoroughly check the entire centre”.

As a result of Milton’s arrival, Thursday’s planned launch of the Europa Clipper has now been postponed. The science spacecraft had been due to launch to head for Jupiter’s icy moon Europa.

As part of it’s mission, when it does finally launch, the spacecraft will seek to find out whether the ice-encased moon contains a salty "ocean" of water below its frozen surface, and whether it could potentially support human life.

Milton storm surge reached 5-10 feet in areas

According to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, the highest storm surge observed by Milton was between 5-10ft.

"Preliminary post-landfall analysis of storm surge from Hurricane Milton indicates peak water levels reached 5 to 10 feet above ground level between Siesta Key, FL and Ft Myers Beach, FL, including Charlotte Harbor," the NHC said in a statement.

Ahead of the hurricane's arrival which hit the coast of Florida in the early hours of Thursday morning (UK time), officials had warned that storm surge levels could reach as high as 15ft, but thankfully fell short of this estimate.

Meanwhile, all tropical and storm surge warnings have since been discontinued.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds join stars donating to hurricane relief efforts

Hollywood actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are the latest stars to donate to a disaster relief fund, helping those affected in the wake of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton in the US.

The couple donated one million dollars (£765,000) to Feeding America, after Milton made landfall on Wednesday night in Florida as a Category 3 storm with winds of more than 100mph (160kph).

It comes a day after it was announced their friend, pop superstar Taylor Swift, donated five million dollars (£3.8 million) to the same charity.

Feeding America chief executive Claire Babineaux-Fontenot praised the couple for their donation to the relief fund to help victims “rebuild and recover” as hurricanes devastated the south-east region of the US.

“Their longtime support of Feeding America in times of crisis has helped our network on the ground before, during and after disasters,” she said in a statement on X.

“These funds will help food banks provide basic needs like water, ready to eat food and supplies to communities facing heartbreaking loss and a long recovery.”

Major flooding poses huge risk in aftermath of Milton

Although Hurricane Milton has now passed through Florida, officials have still urged residents to stay inside as several areas have been struck by major flooding.

The deluge of water continues in Hillsborough County, on Florida’s west coast; St. Johns, near Jacksonville; and the Little Wekiva River in the Orlando region, said Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Water levels in the affected areas are also expected to continue to rise, with a further storm surge expected along the east coast.

“Roadways are flooded, and the potential for hazardous conditions with them still exists. Please do not walk or drive through them,” Guthrie said in a plea for people to stay at home.

He added that people should not visit affected areas because they are inhibiting first responders from doing their jobs.

So far, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has confirmed that at least 340 people and 49 pets have been rescued, with hundreds of rescuers dispatched to missions in 26 counties.

US Coast Guard confirms rescue of man stranded at sea who clung to freezer for survival

The US Coast Guard has confirmed that it rescued a man clinging to a freezer in the Gulf of Mexico off South Florida - several hours after losing contact with him on Wednesday evening.

A helicopter crew stationed in Miami rescued the man, who was about 30 miles away from the shore in Longboat Key, near Sarasota.

He was transported to Tampa General Hospital for medical treatment following the ordeal.

#Breaking An @USCG Air Station Miami 65 helicopter crew rescued a man clinging to a cooler approximately 30 mi. off Longboat Key.

The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care.

Sector St. Pete lost communications w/ the man at approx. 6:45 p.m., Wed. #SAR pic.twitter.com/64wSHuRAeH

— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 10, 2024

Death toll rises to 'at least 12' as rescuers dig through debris

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm, whipping up storm surges with wind speeds over 120mph, causing widespread flooding and building damage across the central belt of Florida.

As rescuers have dug through the rubble and searched through the floodwaters, the death toll has continued to rise. So far, there are "at least 12" people confirmed to have died, but some US media channels are reporting 16 known fatalities.

Six of these people killed by the storm died before Hurricane Milton struck Florida, with the then-Category 5 Hurricane spawning dozens of devastating tornadoes across the state - including in St Lucie on the east coast where half a dozen have been confirmed dead after a direct tornado hit.

But rescuers are still searching for missing people in the quiet but now flattened retirement village, Spanish Lakes. Sheriff Keith Pearson said: “We’re still conducting rescue missions, where we’re trying to get to people as fast as we can, but we don’t know what we’re going to uncover.

“It’s a complete devastation, so we’ve been working around the clock, hundreds of search-and-rescue teams going through rubble."

Biden urges 'shelter in place

While Hurricane Milton has passed, millions of Florida residents still face fresh flooding threats and ongoing power outages in the powerful storm's wake.

While the immediate threat is over, President Joe Biden is urging people in flooded Florida to remain in a safe location while 50,000 rescuers work to restore power and get trapped residents to places of safety.

In Biden's message to the nation, he told Floridians, "Help is on the way" and promised, "We leave no one behind."

To those impacted by Hurricane Milton, stay inside and off the roads.

Help is on the way – currently, over 50,000 line workers and 1,000 federal personnel are on the ground ready to respond.

But right now, I urge you to shelter in place until local officials say it is safe. pic.twitter.com/BvO3EjaRf9

— President Biden (@POTUS) October 10, 2024

Stranded tourists offered '$10 sandwiches' by Disney World

For anyone riding out Hurricane Milton at Walt Disney World they’re selling a PB&J kit for $10 that includes a full jar of peanut butter, a full jar of strawberry jelly, and a full loaf of bread! It’s available at the All Star Music Resort (and possibly other resort hotels as… pic.twitter.com/Jnr3yzLsVq

— Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) October 9, 2024

Top CNN anchor battered live on-air

Footage shows the moment a CNN reporter was hit in the face while reporting outside on Hurricane Milton.

While reporting live from Bradenton, Florida on Wednesday night, anchor Anderson Cooper was pelted amid his coverage of the hurricane's fury.

Battling the elements, Cooper said, "The water now is really starting to pour over," as he braved the conditions by the Manatee River. A projectile hit him square in the face mid-broadcast, causing him to recoil.

Read the full story here.

Joe Biden takes swipe at Trump, says his predecessor is spreading 'misinformation'

President Joe Biden is again criticising his predecessor, Donald Trump, for spreading misinformation about the federal government’s hurricane response efforts, declaring “Get a life, man.”

Addressing reporters Thursday about Hurricane Milton’s destruction, Biden said he wouldn’t call Trump directly. But asked what his message would be for Trump, Biden squared his shoulders and more directly faced the camera.

“Mr. President Trump, former President Trump, get a life man,” Biden said. “Help these people.”

The White House, and Biden personally, have spent days decrying Trump for making false claims about disaster response, including that federal funding is being diverted for use on people in the country illegally and that such assistance is capped at $750 (£574).

Storm surge from the Peace River damages homes

In Punta Gorda’s historic district, a 10-foot surge from the Peace River swept blocks inland, seriously damaging homes and depositing six 30-foot-plus boats along a quarter-mile stretch of a riverside street.

The surge was the third to hit the neighborhood the last three months, following a small surge by Hurricane Debby in August and an 8-foot surge by Helene two weeks ago.

Josh Baldwin’s 38-foot boat, Alexandra, named after his young daughter, was sitting upright on the street, resting on its hull and flattened propeller, leaning against a utility pole.

The cattle rancher had moored his boat at the marina about 100 yards (91 meters) away and the surge had picked it up and pushed it inland, pulling it off its moorings.

He said he was at home in Sarasota, 60 miles (97 kilometres) away on Thursday morning, when a friend sent him a screenshot of a TV reporter doing a live shot from in front of it.

A few hours later, he was inside removing all the gear that he could to avoid it being stolen and contemplating his options – pay $100,000 to fix the boat or scrap it. He was leaning toward scraping it.

He couldn’t get insurance because he had moored it in Punta Gorda.

“They don’t like to pay out and this place always gets ruined in hurricanes,” he said.

Florida theme parks planning to reopen on Friday following Hurricane Milton

Florida's famous theme parks including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld are planning to reopen on Friday after an assessment of the effects of Hurricane Milton.

Disney World said in a statement that its theme parks, Disney Springs, and possibly other areas will be open. The parks said some Halloween special events won't be offered and they won't necessarily be fully functioning Friday, but the public is welcome back.

As Milton came ashore as a major storm Wednesday, all three Orlando-based parks shut down, putting a damper on the vacations of tens of thousands of tourists, many of whom hunkered down in hotels. SeaWorld closed for all of Wednesday, Disney World and Universal for the afternoon. All three were closed all day Thursday.

Orlando International Airport, the nation's seventh busiest and Florida's most trafficked, stopped commercial operations Wednesday morning and had not yet announced a reopening time as officials assessed damage Thursday.

With the parks closed, miniature golf was among the few activities available to tourists who had been locked down in their hotel rooms and rental condos during the storm. There was a line getting into Congo River Golf on International Drive, a major tourist strip.

Craig Greig of Glasgow, Scotland, would have been at the Magic Kingdom with his wife and 10-year-old if the theme parks had been open. Instead he was clutching a putter ready to putt golf balls over a man made lagoon filled with baby alligators.

"We just wanted to stretch our legs and get out of the hotel," he said. "Especially for the little one." Even though it was his first experience with a hurricane, he was unfazed and slept through the night as it roared through central Florida.

Disney World, Universal and other attractions make Orlando the United States' most visited destination, drawing 74 million tourists last year alone. And Halloween-related celebrations have made October one of the busiest and most lucrative times for the parks.

Watch: Man risks death as he plants Trump Flag on pier during Hurricane Milton

A foolish Donald Trump fan risked his life by braving the hurricane winds and rushing on to a pier and tying up a flag in support of the ex-president’s 2024 bid for the White House.

Category 3 Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday night with winds of over 100mph and crossed across the state, causing at least four deaths and leaving millions without power. Damage was widespread and water levels may continue to rise for days, although the destruction is not as horrific as first feared.

Despite the danger, one foolish man risked everything when he tied a flag to a pier in Naples, Florida, amid the howling wind and rain. Beneath him, the sea raged as the intense winds battled against the waves. The man attempts to secure it upon the pier’s structure and successfully manages to do so. As he walks off, the flag prevails against the harsh winds; though it’s unclear how long it lasted.

Read more: Man risks death as he plants Trump Flag on pier during Hurricane Milton

How bad is Hurricane Milton's damage?

Officials in hard-hit Florida counties were urging people to stay home, warning of downed power lines, trees in roads, blocked bridges and flooding.

Before Milton even made landfall, heavy rain and tornadoes lashed parts of southern Florida, and over 100 homes were destroyed.

The Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce, on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, was hit particularly hard, with homes destroyed and at least five people killed in tornadoes, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said.

The storm knocked out power across a large section of Florida, leaving over 3 million homes and businesses without electricity, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.

In St. Petersburg, a crane working on a 46-story building toppled and a water main break led the city to shut down service. Also, the roof of the city's Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, was destroyed. Just inland from Tampa, the flooding in Plant City was “absolutely staggering,” according to City Manager Bill McDaniel.

Meanwhile, a manufacturer of IV fluids critical to hospitals nationwide said its Daytona Beach factory and distribution center were left intact after Milton.

Urban legend explains why one city wasn't directly hit by Hurricane Milton

One large city in Florida managed to avoid being directly hit by Hurricane Milton - and locals believe they are protected by a blessing.

Those living in Tampa on the state's west coast say mounds both sacred and burial, near a pier and deriving back to the 16th Century have huge significance. Spirits are said to have blessed Tampa residents at those mounds over the centuries and so it is thought hurricanes always veer north or south and make landfall elsewhere.

And Tampa, home to around 400,000 people, has not been directly ravaged by any hurricane since 1929. Hurricane Irma killed 134 people in 2017 - but Tampa did not bear the significant brunt of Irma. None of the ten people killed by Hurricane Milton are thought to have been from Tampa.

Urban legend explains why one city wasn't directly hit by Hurricane Milton

Mystery as birds drop dead out the sky on to cruise ship after hurricane

Dozens of birds dropped dead out of the sky on to the deck of a cruise ship stuck out to sea as Hurricane Milton bombarded Florida.

The Category 3 storm made landfall on Wednesday night with winds of over 100mph and crossed across the state, causing at least 10 deaths and leaving millions without power. Damage was widespread and water levels may continue to rise for days, although the destruction is not as horrific as first feared.

One person, stuck out to sea aboard a cruise ship unable to dock because of the high winds, shared a shocking video showing thousands of birds flying over the vessel. Sadly, many came crashing down to earth and were filmed dead on the ship.

Mystery as birds drop dead out the sky on to cruise ship after hurricane

Mum's 'difficult decision' to stay at home despite order to evacuate

Jackie Curnick said she wrestled with her decision to stay at home in Sarasota, just north of where the storm made landfall. She and her husband started packing Monday to evacuate, but they struggled to find available hotel rooms, and the few they came by were too expensive.

With a two-year-old son and a baby girl due on October 29, Ms Curnick said there were too many unanswered questions if they got in the car and left: Where would they sleep? Would they be able to fill their petrol tank? And could they even find a safe route out of the state?

“The thing is it’s so difficult to evacuate in a peninsula,” she said ahead of the storm. “In most other states, you can go in any direction to get out. In Florida, there are only so many roads that take you north or south."

Video taken during the storm showed howling winds and sheets of rain lashing their glass-enclosed swimming pool as their son and dog watched. Trees shook violently.

Hurricane Milton death toll climbs to nine

At least nine people are dead after Hurricane Milton made landfall, officials have told network NBC.

The death toll increased after Volusia county sheriff Michael J. Chitwood confirmed three people died in his jurisdiction.

There were two storm-related deaths in the city of St. Petersburg and at least four people died in St Lucie.

NEW: At least 9 people have lost their lives to Hurricane Milton, officials say, with the death toll increasing as rescuers continue digging through the damage.

— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) October 10, 2024

Shocking pictures show the damage caused to Tropicana Field stadium

These shocking pictures show the damage caused to Tropicana Field stadium during Hurricane Milton.

The dome of the multi-purpose arena was torn open due to the huge gusts. Photos taken using a drone show the damage caused to the building in St Petersburg, Florida.

At least four people were confirmed killed as a result of two tornadoes triggered by Hurricane Milton on the east coast of the US state of Florida, local authorities said.

Man, 90, sweeps four feet of mud and water after Hurricane Milton

The tiny barrier island of Matlacha just off Fort Myers got hit by both a tornado and surge from Hurricane Milton, with many of the turquoise, salmon and lavender buildings sustaining serious damage.

Several collapsed or are knocked off their pilings. Utility poles are snapped and there was no power Thursday morning. The fishing and tourism village also got severely hit by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago and Ian two years ago.

Tom Reynolds, 90, spent Thursday morning sweeping out the four feet of mud and water the surge deposited in his two-storey home and collecting the large chunks of his home’s aluminum siding that had been ripped off by the tornado. Fortunately for Mr Reynolds and others working outside Thursday, the temperatures were in the low 80s (mid-20s Celsius) and Milton had sucked away all the humidity.

The tornado, he said, had “picked up a car and thrown it across the road.” A house had been blown into another street, temporarily blocking it. Some structures caught fire.

Reynolds, who founded the glass and mirror company his son now runs, said he lost many of his power tools – he had stored them high in his shed, but the surge knocked it over.

He said plans to clean up his house, which he built three decade ago, get it fixed and stay.

“What else am I going to do?” Reynolds said.

Residents call on Altamonte Springs to do something to stop repeated flooding

In the Spring Oaks neighbourhood of Altamonte Springs north of Orlando, an impromptu lake formed from floodwaters on a residential street near Rupert and Ernine Gonzales’ split-level home.

They have lived in their house for 22 years, but never saw flooding until two years ago with Hurricane Ian. Now, it’s becoming more regular. “The city must do something about this flooding, 100%,” Rupert Gonzales said.

“People here have gotten flooded, relocated, come back and gotten flooded again. It’s a way of life, it seems.” Soon or later, people won’t want to buy homes in his neighborhood, Gonzales said. “I’m very concerned because I have to live here and I have to see this flooding every time.”

Multiple dead and millions without power after Hurricane Milton strikes

Multiple people have been killed and more than three million have been left without power after deadly Hurricane Milton savaged its way across Florida.

Despite the deaths and fears that Mother Nature was set to unleash the “storm of the century” on the Sunshine State, with some predicting it to be worse than Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the winds weakened as they came ashore, saving hundreds more lives.

Thousands of Brits were forced to take shelter, with hundreds being ordered to evacuate their holiday hotels and homes. Teresa Outhwaite, 51, from Hove, East Sussex, owns a house on Anne Maria Island and was forced to flee the area to Orlando before Milton hit.

The mother-of-two arrived in Florida on Monday to meet her insurance appraiser and assess the damage Hurricane Helene inflicted on her property two weeks ago.

Multiple dead and millions without power after Hurricane Milton strikes