Hurricane Milton is in Florida: destroyed homes, 140 km/h winds and multiple tornadoes. Three million without electricity. “At least 4 dead”

Fema: “Worst scenario avoided”

“What we know for sure is that we have avoided the worst case scenario for which we had prepared“. This is what she said, interviewed by Cnnthe director of FEMA, Deanne Criswell, adding that “preparing for the worst made it possible to respond to the impact we had, the most significant caused by the tornadoes that occurred throughout the region”. That doesn’t mean, he added, that Florida won’t need resources, but perhaps it won’t need the “level of resources” that had been assumed. Criswell also noted a “decrease” in fake news and disinformation regarding Hurricane Milton, compared to those circulated for Helene. Also thanks, he added, “to the great support from governors, members of Congress and local leaders who have truly helped push back against this misinformation.”

Biden hears from the governor: “We will provide the necessary help”

The president of the United States Joe Biden spoke this morning with the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantisof the impact of Hurricane Milton on the population. The White House reports this in a note. The Republican governor thanked the president “for thebroad support federal” and Biden for his part reiterated that he will provide all the support that Florida will need. The director of FEMA, Deanne Criswell, also participated in the call.

DeSantis: “Fortunately, the worst-case scenario didn’t happen”

“What we can say the storm was significantbut fortunately the worst case scenario did not occur“. That’s what he said Ron DeSantis in a press conference in which he gave an initial estimate of the impact of Hurricane Milton on the Tampa Bay area. The “multiple” tornadoes that developed within the hurricane caused victims, so far there are 4 confirmed deaths in St. Lucie County. “We had a lot rescue operations successfully accomplished by state authorities, I know our local partners are doing the same, we will have a better picture in the next few hours,” added the Florida governor. The most immediate consequences, he continued, are: electricity interruptions for over 3 million users and the floods in several areas, particularly in Pinella and coastal Hillsborough counties where over 18 inches of rain fell. The head of Florida’s emergency management also intervened and encouraged the inhabitants of the affected areas to stay at home: “Even if you heard the governor say that the worst case scenario has not occurred, we still have damage,” said Kevin Guthrie.

The roof of the baseball stadium in Saint Petersburg was torn off

Hurricane Milton’s strong winds last night have uprooted il roof of the Tropicana Field a Saint PeterbsurgFlorida, home of the team baseball of the Tampa Bay Rays. Earlier this week, Gov Ron DeSantis had announced that Tropicana Field would be converted into a reception center for 10,000 people but today the authorities were forced to find a new shelter for evacuees in Jacksonville.

“Biden controls Milton”: conspiracy theories go viral on the web

The “manipulated” climate and “piloted” Hurricane Milton. These are some of the conspiracy theories that are circulating on social media these days which Joe Biden has already branded them “ridiculous” and “stupid”. Posts viewed millions of times on X e TikTok have claimed, without any evidence or scientific basis, that the US government “is secretly checking the weather“. Among these there is also that of the Trumpian Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene who accused the Biden administration of “piloting the conditions of the time”.

Florida, Hurricane Milton caused at least 4 deaths

Hurricane Milton caused at least 4 dead in Florida. La county of st. Lucieon Florida’s east coast, confirmed that four people died after two tornadoes hit the area ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. “First responders and emergency services are working in the area,” the county press office added.

Media: “3 million people without electricity”

Quasi three million users remained without power in Florida in the hours following the arrival of Hurricane Milton: the site reports PowerOutage.usas reported Nbc News. This means that more than a quarter of the energy connections monitored by the site are currently out of order, comments the US TV broadcaster. Among the hardest hit areas are coastal counties, including PinellasHillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota, as well as the interior county of Hardeewhere almost all of the 9,600 monitored users are out of order. Authorities have warned that the blackouts could last weeks.

Milton, the hurricane preceded by a series of “unusually strong” tornadoes

A few hours before Milton hit the ground, a series of unusually strong tornadoes they hit Florida. Meteorologists, reports the Washington Posthad warned well before the hurricane’s landfall that tornadoes could be among the storm’s “four major hazards,” along with damaging winds, torrential rain and storm surge. But even experts didn’t predict the severity of the event, which could end up being one of the most active on record in the state.

“Usually only a couple of these hazards occur,” he told the Cnn Jamie Rhomedirector of National Hurricane Center. “To see them all happen at the same time, it really is unusual“.

Media: “There are several victims”

“Different” people died yesterday in Florida due to Hurricane Milton: the Nbc without providing the number of victims. The St. Lucie County Sheriff, Keith Pearsonconfirmed that there were “several victims” in the county, as the broadcaster reported Wptvaffiliate of Nbc. Pearson said the victims were at the Spanish Lakes Country Club, a retirement community near Fort Pierceon the state’s eastern coast.