SIESTA KEY, FL – Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday night near Siesta Key south of the Tampa Bay area and proceeded to batter Florida with torrential rain, powerful winds, and tornadoes, WTSP reports.
The storm arrived as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing maximum sustained winds at 120 mph and causing life-threatening storm surge in parts of central and southwest Florida. The hurricane was moving off from Florida’s east coast into the Atlantic on Thursday morning, but a storm surge warning remained in place for much of the state’s east coast and parts of its west coast. The worst storm surge was apparently in Sarasota County, where it was 8 to 10 feet
The dangerous hurricane brought more destruction to a region still trying to recover from the effects of Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.
The National Hurricane Center warned those in the Tampa and St. Petersburg areas to shelter in place as “extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds” were spreading through the area. At least four people were killed by tornadoes in St. Lucie County ahead of the storm and at least 38 tornadoes were reported overall. Four other storm-related deaths were reported in Volusia County.
Over 3.2 million homes and businesses throughout Florida were without power early Thursday morning. Winds from the hurricane tore off part of the roof at Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, while a construction crane fell from a high-rise building in St. Petersburg.
“We will better understand the extent of the damage as the day progresses,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “The storm was significant but thankfully, this was not the worst case scenario.”
If a hurricane or tropical storm has wreaked havoc on your home or business, our Florida Hurricane and Storm Damage Claims Attorneys at Whittel & Melton are prepared to help you with every aspect of filing a claim, from flood damage to understanding your hurricane deductibles. We can walk you through this daunting process and help you get the money you need to rebuild. Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation. Contact us today at 866-608-5529 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.