Florida residents are assessing the devastation left by Hurricane Milton, with at least 16 confirmed deaths and widespread damage across the state as political leaders clash over the storm response.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Residents across Florida are grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, which claimed at least 16 lives and left significant destruction in its wake. The powerful Category 3 storm made landfall on Wednesday evening, just two weeks after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the state and much of the Southeast. Florida is now facing a lengthy and costly recovery effort, with damage estimates reaching up to $100 billion.
Milton, the fifth-most-intense Atlantic hurricane on record, swept through the state with fierce winds and heavy rain, toppling power lines, trees, and flooding entire neighborhoods. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the death toll could rise further as search and rescue teams continue to navigate floodwaters and debris. In St. Lucie County, several fatalities occurred during an outbreak of tornadoes, including two deaths in the Spanish Lakes senior-living community.
While the feared catastrophic storm surge did not materialize, Florida still suffered extensive damage. Water levels between Siesta Key and Fort Myers Beach reached 5 to 10 feet above ground level, according to a preliminary analysis from the National Hurricane Center. Across the state, approximately 2.75 million homes and businesses remained without power late Thursday, with some residents having already experienced days of outages due to Helene.
The destruction from back-to-back hurricanes comes just weeks before the November 5 general election, drawing sharp political responses. Former President Donald Trump, trailing Vice President Kamala Harris in recent polls, criticized the federal government’s handling of recovery efforts. He specifically pointed to North Carolina, which was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. “The federal government … has not done what you are supposed to be doing,” Trump stated on Thursday.
Harris responded during a Univision town hall, accusing her opponents of politicizing the disaster. “Sadly, we have seen over the last two weeks, since Hurricane Helene, and now in the immediate aftermath of Milton, where people are playing political games,” she remarked.
Political leaders are keenly aware of the potential impact of disaster response on public opinion, with memories of the fallout from President George W. Bush’s handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 still fresh. The Biden administration is requesting additional funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to bolster recovery efforts, urging Congress to act swiftly despite being on recess. The House remains under Republican control, while Democrats hold a slim majority in the Senate.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis noted that although the state avoided a “worst-case scenario,” the extent of the damage was still severe. “We have a long road to recovery ahead,” he warned. Orlando International Airport, the busiest in the state, announced that flight operations were resuming after sustaining minor damage.
As Florida embarks on a massive cleanup effort, the full scale of Hurricane Milton’s impact continues to unfold. With elections fast approaching, the response to the devastation may influence the political landscape in the coming weeks.
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