Tampa/Washington (dpa) – As daybreak begins, the extent of the destruction left behind by Hurricane “Milton” slowly becomes clear. The storm moved from the Gulf Coast of Florida across the US state into the Atlantic on Thursday night (local time). In its path: deaths, floods, downed power lines, destroyed livelihoods.
“It looked like someone had dropped a weight from the sky and flattened a row of houses,” Doug Anderson told the local newspaper Treasure Coast Newspapers. Anderson lives in St. Lucie County, where at least four people – including residents of a senior trailer park – were killed by a tornado.
Hurricanes often produce tornadoes due to the different wind speeds on the ground and high in the air. US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed at least 27 tornadoes – and that there were reports of at least ten deaths in connection with Hurricane “Milton” in the state of Florida.
The area around Tampa had been classified as a high-risk area before “Milton” arrived. The storm then made landfall late Wednesday evening (local time) about 100 kilometers south, in Siesta Key, as a level 3 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of up to 193 kilometers per hour. During the night, “Milton” weakened to level 1 and moved out to sea, where it is expected to weaken further and move in a northeasterly direction.
Millions of people had been called to evacuate in advance. There were reports of long traffic jams and fuel shortages. Over 80,000 people sought shelter in emergency shelters, while others chose to remain in their homes. When the authorities could no longer ensure safe evacuations, they ordered people to barricade themselves on site.
DeSantis: “Luckily not the worst scenario.”
Despite the damage slowly becoming visible, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized that the worst fears had not come true. “This storm was significant. “But fortunately this wasn’t the worst scenario,” he said at a first press conference. The storm surge was not as severe as Hurricane Helene about two weeks ago, which caused severe damage in the region. Many people had not yet recovered from this devastation when “Milton” hit.
In many affected areas, there was still uncertainty about possible fatalities on Thursday morning (local time). Rescue workers are working hard to get an overview and initiate relief measures, it said. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister urged residents to be patient. “So many trees and power poles have fallen that we literally have to make our way to those affected,” he said in an interview with CNN and warned against acting independently: “It’s too dangerous.”
Warning about power lines and bacteria in the water
US President Joe Biden also issued a warning. “I urge you to stay indoors and avoid the streets,” Biden wrote on X. Power lines lying on the ground, debris and damaged roads created dangerous conditions. People should stay in safe places until local authorities give the all-clear and help arrives.
The mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor, also warned urgently during a press conference: “It’s not over yet” – as a result of the rains, rivers could overflow their banks and cause further flooding. In this context, DeSantis warned of dangers when assessing the damage: Torn down power lines could be hidden in standing water. Bacteria in the water could lead to fatal infections.
Although the worst fears apparently did not come to pass, the consequences of the hurricane were devastating: around three million households were initially without power. In the city of St. Petersburg, drinking water was turned off due to a burst water pipe. Repairs should begin as soon as workers can safely access the lines. The US Department of Justice also warned that weather disasters like “Milton” are often exploited by unscrupulous profiteers to charge exorbitant prices.
Biden promises support
Biden pledged comprehensive relief efforts and postponed a planned trip to Germany and Angola to focus on the crisis. During a meeting with representatives of important authorities, he spoke of a “storm of the century”. Vice President Kamala Harris also took part in the crisis talks.
Both also used the opportunity to warn against disinformation being spread primarily by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Trump had claimed, for example, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was diverting funds to migrants so that they could illegally vote for Democratic opponent Harris. Biden rejected this as “un-American” and warned that such lies could further undermine trust in state institutions and worsen the already tense situation.
On Thursday afternoon (local time), Trump spoke again in a video published on the X platform. “We know that God is with you,” he said, spoke of the strength of the people of Florida, praised his party colleague DeSantis and indicated that if he wins the election, “help like never before” would come. “Hopefully there will be someone in office on January 20th who will really help,” said Trump, referring to the outcome of the presidential election on November 5th. The inauguration will take place on January 20th.
