Milton Tears Through Florida: 16 Fatalities and Over 2 Million Without Power

Hurricane Milton’s deadly aftermath has left Florida in a state of shock and devastation.

Residents began cleaning up debris and repairing their homes on Friday, following the Category 3 storm that battered coastal communities, flooded streets, and unleashed deadly tornadoes.

Authorities reported at least 16 fatalities in connection to the storm.

Destruction in Milton’s Wake

Milton’s arrival came just two weeks after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the same region.

This storm further tested Florida’s resilience, flooding barrier islands, tearing the roof off Tampa Bay Rays’ baseball stadium, and even toppling a construction crane.

Rescuers have been working tirelessly, with dozens of operations conducted to save trapped residents across the hardest-hit areas.

Lillian Bicart, an 80-year-old evacuee from Tampa, recounted her harrowing experience, describing the severe flooding that destroyed her home.

“I have to sit down and think what I’m going to do because I lose everything, everything too wet,” Bicart told CBS News.

“I never think about this. This is a bad dream, very bad.”

Tornadoes Add to the Devastation

Central and Southern Florida endured significant damage from tornadoes spun off by Hurricane Milton.

The violent storms ravaged entire neighborhoods, uprooting trees and smashing homes to pieces.

Jashanti Williams, a resident who took shelter in her bathroom with her family, expressed disbelief at the extent of the damage.

“Even with the hurricanes, it’s never been this bad ever,” she told CBS News.

As of Friday morning, more than 2 million Floridians remained without power, according to Find Energy.

Relief efforts and the return of evacuees created heavy traffic on Interstate 75, the state’s main highway.

Convoys of emergency vehicles, fuel tankers, and portable bathroom trailers streamed south to assist in recovery efforts.

Struggles to Return Home

Residents faced significant challenges in returning to their homes, including a widespread fuel shortage.

Gas stations remained closed across much of the state, with closures reported as far north as Ocala, more than two hours away from where Milton made landfall near Siesta Key on Wednesday night.

For Natasha and Terry Ducre, Milton’s impact was devastating.

The storm peeled off the tin roof of their cinderblock home in a neighborhood near the Manatee River.

Natasha had urged her family to evacuate, a decision she believes saved their lives.

The Ducres returned to find their roof scattered across the street and their home’s interior destroyed, with soaked belongings and shattered drywall littering the floor.

With shelters full and hotels unaffordable, the couple plans to stay with Terry’s mother, unsure of what their future holds.

Gradual Reopening in Tourist Hotspots

Despite the widespread damage, some parts of Florida began to return to normal.

Theme parks like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld announced plans to reopen on Friday after evaluating the storm’s effects.

Orlando International Airport, the state’s busiest, also resumed departures for both domestic and international flights on Friday.

Though the airport sustained minor damage, such as leaks and downed trees, operations were largely unaffected.

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