Hurricane Milton, the fifth most intense hurricane in Atlantic history, is expected to cost insurance companies up to $100 billion as the scope of the destruction is still being assessed. The White House has pledged government support during this critical time.
As reported by Reuters, while the hurricane made landfall on Florida's west coast, some of the worst impacts were felt over 160 kilometers away on the east coast. According to CBS News, citing the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, at least 16 people have died due to the hurricane. A series of tornadoes spawned by the storm in St. Lucie County claimed several lives, including two in the Spanish Lakes senior community.
The National Hurricane Center's preliminary analysis indicates that water levels have risen between 1.5 to 3 meters above ground between Siesta Key and Fort Myers Beach. PowerOutage.us reports that approximately 2.75 million homes and businesses in Florida were without power as of late October 10.
Some residents are facing extended outages, having waited days for power restoration following Hurricane Helen, which previously impacted the region. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that while the state avoided the 'worst-case scenario,' damages remain significant.
Background: Earlier reports indicated that Hurricane Milton reached Florida's coast, leaving over 2.5 million consumers without electricity. Although the hurricane's strength has decreased from a Category 5 to a Category 1, it remains life-threatening. Previously, over 200 people died in the U.S. due to Hurricane Helen, marking the highest toll since Hurricane Katrina. Former President Trump criticized the Biden administration for what he deemed insufficient aid to hurricane victims amidst over $200 billion allocated to Ukraine.