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Florida currently faces a long road to recovery after being hit by back-to-back “once-in-a-lifetime” storms, Hurricanes Milton and Helen.
Hurricane Milton, which made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane, left at least 17 people dead, spawned dozens of tornadoes, 28-foot waves, high winds, heavy rain and devastating damage. caused a storm surge.
Days later, the threat to life is far from over, with 1.6 million homes still without power across Florida as of Saturday morning, and forecasters say the threat of dangerous flooding could continue for several days, possibly even more. They warn that it will last for several weeks.
Meanwhile, a phosphate mine operator warned that drains flooded during the storm and the facility released thousands of gallons of pollutants into Tampa Bay.
Officials and residents are working to assess the extent of the storm’s damage, with residents in the Midwest hardest hit. Gov. Ron DeSantis said more than 50,000 linemen were deployed to restore power.
Video: DeSantis denies climate change is making hurricanes more powerful
Rachel SharpOctober 12, 2024 19:30
Florida couple reveals long-lost wedding ring found in Hurricane Milton
A Florida couple has revealed that their wedding ring, which had been missing for nearly a decade, was unearthed by Hurricane Milton.
Laura and Basil Yorio told Fox35 that the ring disappeared without a trace nine years ago during a construction project on their Palm Bay, Florida, home.
Since then, he has not been seen.
Hurricane Milton hit their neighborhood Wednesday.
When Laura got home, she said she found something shiny in the garden.
“I looked down and saw a silver ring and I thought it looked like a key chain,” she said.
Then they realized what it was.
“We’re very mindful that a lot of people are going through terrible things. We feel a little guilty for being complacent about all of this, but it’s been a good thing.”
Rachel SharpOctober 12, 2024 19:00
Florida residents return to homes destroyed by Hurricane Milton
Rachel SharpOctober 12, 2024 18:30
Lt. Dan became an overnight sensation after surviving Hurricane Milton. Later, his long criminal past was revealed.
Joseph Marinkowski became a “cult hero” overnight for his defiant stance in the face of Hurricane Milton. Mike Bedigan and Kelly Risman delve into the man’s extensive criminal history that rocked the public and social media.
Rachel SharpOctober 12, 2024 18:00
‘Selfish child’ Chris Christie slams President Trump for politicizing Hurricane Milton
Chris Christie accused Donald Trump of politicizing Hurricane Milton as Florida begins recovery efforts from a “once in a lifetime” hurricane.
“He’s a selfish kid,” Christie said. new york times Opinion journalist Frank Bruni.
“And he doesn’t care that North Carolinians are suffering like this, if caring for him hurts any political advantage.”
President Trump is spreading conspiracies about the federal response to Hurricanes Helen and Milton, including debunked claims that FEMA funds were being diverted from hurricane survivors to illegal immigrants. .
Rachel SharpOctober 12, 2024 17:30
Fake photo of Disney World flooded by Hurricane Milton spread online by Russian news agency
An image circulating online purporting to show Florida’s Disney World underwater as a result of Hurricane Milton is fake and appears to have been generated using artificial intelligence.
Disney World in Orlando, Florida, announced it would close its theme park in an unprecedented move ahead of the region’s impact from the dangerous Hurricane Milton, which brings strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous storm surge.
When Milton made landfall on Wednesday, all three Orlando-based parks, including Universal Orlando and SeaWorld along with Disney, shut down, halting operations that would normally welcome tens of thousands of tourists. did.
Rachel SharpOctober 12, 2024 17:00
1.6 million people still without power in Florida
Three days after Milton hit Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, 1.6 million households are still in the dark.
As of around 11 a.m. ET Saturday, 1.58 million customers were without power in the Sunshine State, according to Poweroutage.us.
In hard-hit Pinellas County, more than half (373,000 of 567,000 customers) remain without power.
Rachel SharpOctober 12, 2024 16:30
Hurricane Milton devastated Florida, British national recalls ‘holiday from hell’ with seven children
A British holidaymaker who was stranded in Florida with his brother and seven young children as Hurricane Milton made landfall in the US has described his “vacation from hell”.
Jordan Sly was scheduled to fly back to London on Wednesday with his three children, his brother Zach, and Zach’s four children. But their flight home was canceled as Hurricane Milton approached and Florida braced for its second devastating storm in recent weeks.
The seven children, ranging in age from four months to 11 years old, were put to sleep by Sly and his siblings at their cottage in Davenport. However, a storm struck in the early morning hours and chaos ensued.
independent Alex Croft has more:
Stuti MishraOctober 12, 2024 15:30