Florida attempts to recover from ‘once in a lifetime’ storm as 1.6m still without power, at least 17 dead
SUMMARY
Florida is grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, a devastating Category 3 storm that made landfall near Siesta Key on Wednesday night. Following Hurricane Helene’s destruction just weeks earlier, Milton caused at least 17 deaths and left 1.6 million residents without power as of Saturday morning. Florida Power and Light Company reported that while 1.3 million customers have had power restored, recovery for many could take almost a week. The hurricane unleashed tornadoes, 28-foot waves, powerful winds, and heavy rainfall, severely impacting the west-central region. Forecasters have warned that dangerous flooding will persist for days or even weeks. Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed that over 50,000 linemen have been deployed to restore power across the state. Authorities and residents continue to assess the extensive damage caused by the back-to-back storms, with recovery expected to be a lengthy process.
