Hurricane Milton has made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida as a category 3 storm with 120 mph sustained winds, according to the National Hurricane Center. This is the fifth hurricane to make landfall in the US this year, more than the previous three years combined. More than 1.5 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, with about 125 homes destroyed before the hurricane even made landfall.
President Joe Biden has spoken with officials in Florida to offer assistance for rescue, response, and recovery efforts. The storm is moving east-northeast at 16 mph and has weakened slightly to a Category 2 storm with winds of 110 mph. The storm has caused severe flooding in areas such as Venice and Port Charlotte, with more than 600,000 homes without power.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urges residents to hunker down as it is too dangerous at this point to evacuate. The National Weather Service has issued numerous tornado warnings in Florida with sightings of at least 20 tornadoes. Zoo animals at Tampa’s zoo are hunkering down as well, with some staying in habitats while others share sheltered barns.
As the storm continues to move inland, the National Hurricane Center warns of a life-threatening storm surge, extreme winds, and flash flooding. Local weather reporters have captured footage of the storm’s impact in areas like Tampa, where a reverse storm surge has caused water levels to appear low. More than 311,000 clients in Florida are without power as the storm makes landfall near Tampa.
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