Hurricane Milton Makes Landfall in Florida

As night fell, a fierce storm hit Florida’s Gulf Coast, causing deadly tornadoes and heavy flooding. Millions lost power, and many communities were destroyed.

Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, reached land near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, Florida, around 8:30 p.m. on October 10. The storm, with winds over 120 mph and heavy rain, caused widespread destruction. More than 1.1 million homes and businesses lost electricity, with Sarasota, Manatee, and Hardee counties hit hardest.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) used Facebook to tell people to stay in their shelters and remain cautious as the storm continued.

Several tornadoes struck St. Lucie County, leading to serious damage and deaths. Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed there were “multiple fatalities” at the Spanish Lakes Country Club, a senior community near Fort Pierce. Rescue teams are still searching for survivors in the rubble, and the exact number of deaths is unknown.

St. Lucie County suffered major damage, and emergency workers have been working around the clock to help. Statewide, about 125 homes were destroyed, with many of them in senior mobile home communities, according to FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie.

Governor Ron DeSantis mentioned that the storm triggered 116 tornado warnings across the state, and 19 tornadoes have been confirmed so far, showing the widespread impact of Hurricane Milton.

In St. Petersburg, the storm caused extreme flooding, with over nine inches of rain falling in just three hours. This rare one-in-1,000-year event also affected Tampa and Clearwater, leading to a flash flood emergency on October 9 by the National Hurricane Center.

Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg recorded 16.61 inches of rain in one day, creating dangerous conditions across the region. Wind gusts reached 102 mph at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and 105 mph at Egmont Channel. At that time, Hurricane Milton was about 20 miles northeast of Sarasota, moving east-northeast at 16 mph.

The National Weather Service warned of deadly flash floods, noting that the rain received in a single day matched what typically falls in three months. People were advised to seek higher ground and avoid areas prone to flooding.

State and local officials launched a large emergency response, sending rescue teams to help the affected areas. Sheriff Pearson emphasized that the priority was “life safety,” as rescuers continued searching for people trapped in the wreckage.

Hurricane Milton weakened as it moved inland, but it still posed a threat. Authorities urged residents to follow official updates and stay safe as Florida deals with the storm’s aftermath.