Hurricane Milton Hits Florida as Category 3 Storm

LATEST UPDATES

• Landfall: Hurricane Milton made landfall in Tampa Bay, Florida, at 8:30 PM ET Wednesday.
• Wind Speed: Sustained winds of up to 200 km/h (124 mph) reported.
• Rainfall: Heavy rainfall with 16 inches (400 mm) recorded in St. Petersburg.

STORM SURGE AND FLOODING

• Tampa Bay: Waters rising up to 15 feet in some areas, 6-10 feet in others.
• Flood Warnings: Issued for several areas, including St. Petersburg.

DESTRUCTION AND EVACUATIONS

• Homes Destroyed: Approximately 150 homes destroyed, mostly mobile homes.
• Power Outages: 1.5 lakh people without electricity.
• Evacuation Orders: Issued for 11 areas, affecting 6 million people.

TORNADOES AND CASUALTIES

• Reports: Tornadoes causing damage and loss of life, pending confirmation.
• Tornado Warnings: Issued for 50 locations Wednesday.

RESPONSE AND RELIEF EFFORTS

• President Biden: Cancels foreign trips to oversee storm relief.
• Gov. DeSantis: Deploys 8,000 National Guard personnel.
• Shelters: Set up for displaced citizens.

FORECAST

• Strengthening: Hurricane Milton expected to strengthen further Thursday.
• Movement: Moving across Florida, affecting Orlando and other areas.

STAY SAFE

• Follow evacuation orders.
• Stay indoors during heavy rainfall and strong winds.
• Keep updated with latest weather forecasts.