Florida residents waded through flooded streets, cleared debris, and surveyed the damage to their homes on Friday after Hurricane Milton tore through coastal areas and triggered deadly tornadoes. The storm claimed at least 10 lives, and rescuers were still saving people trapped by rising rivers. However, there was relief that the impact wasn’t worse. Tampa was spared a direct hit, and the feared lethal storm surge did not materialize.
Governor Ron DeSantis cautioned residents not to become complacent, warning of ongoing dangers such as downed power lines and hidden hazards in standing water. “We’re now in a period where fatalities can be prevented,” DeSantis said. “Make the right choices and be aware of the risks.” By Friday night, power outages had dropped to 1.9 million customers, but St. Petersburg’s 260,000 residents were advised to boil water until Monday for safety.
Insurance losses were estimated between $30 and $60 billion.
Environmental concerns arose when The Mosaic Company revealed that heavy rains overwhelmed a system at its Riverview phosphate mine, causing pollution to spill into Tampa Bay. The leak, which exceeded the 17,500-gallon reporting threshold, was repaired on Thursday. Efforts to obtain more details from the company and Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection were unsuccessful.
Construction crane toppled
Meanwhile, the tourism industry began recovering, with Walt Disney World and other parks reopening. Orlando’s airport also resumed full operations. However, Milton left a trail of destruction, including flooding barrier islands, damaging the Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium, and toppling a construction crane.
Rescue teams continued helping stranded people, including a 92-year-old woman in Hillsborough County. Deputies in Pinellas County used high-water vehicles to ferry people from flooded neighborhoods like Palm Harbor. One resident, Ashley Cabrera, was able to evacuate with her two sons and three dogs, heading to a hotel in Orlando after days of being trapped. “I’m just thankful we can finally get a hot meal and some gas,” she said.
Animals were also rescued. Cindy Evers saved a pig stranded in floodwaters and had earlier rescued a donkey and goats, offering them temporary shelter on her 9-acre property.
In Venice, beachfront condos were left filled with several feet of sand, and a swimming pool was nearly buried. Punta Gorda, flooded by 8 feet of seawater during Hurricane Helene last month, saw better evacuation compliance this time, with only three rescues compared to 121 last month.
Florida’s orange growers are still assessing damage. Milton struck at the start of the growing season, compounding the industry’s recovery efforts from previous hurricanes and its ongoing battle against greening disease. For some growers, Milton could be devastating.
Clearwater resident Kelvin Glenn, who had been trapped in waist-deep, dirty water with his seven children, was rescued by boat. Now, his focus has shifted from surviving the storm to rebuilding. “Everything’s gone. We have to start over,” he said, though he stopped short of calling his family homeless.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has funds to address the immediate needs of those affected by both Milton and Helene. However, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell noted that additional resources would be needed in the future. Congress recently replenished FEMA’s disaster assistance fund with $20 billion, the same amount as last year.
