By Germania Rodriguez Poleo, Chief U.S. Reporter and Stephen M. Lepore and Will Potter and Natasha Anderson
Published: 22:35 AEDT, 9 October 2024 | Updated: 19:18 AEDT, 10 October 2024
Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Wednesday night with record flooding and devastating 120mph winds that destroyed the roof of Tampa Bay Rays baseball stadium.
Tropicana Field had been a designated shelter for first responders and cleanup workers awaiting the aftermath of the historic storm and the destruction in its wake. Footage from inside the facility showed a debris-filled field with empty cots meant for sleeping.
The hurricane – which had been downgraded to a Category 1 early Thursday – had spawned deadly tornadoes that leveled more than 100 homes in St. Lucie County and killed ‘multiple people.’
In St. Petersburg, a gigantic crane teetered off the top of a building and crashed into the offices of the Tampa Bay Times. No injuries were reported.
A Flash Flood Emergency was declared in the Tampa area and nearly 3 million people were left without power across the Sunshine State.
Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida: Everything you need to know
Hurricane Milton, one of the most powerful storms to hit the US in recent years, made landfall in Florida on Wednesday night resulting in record flooding and extreme winds that have already caused multiple fatalities.
Milton hit Siesta Key, a barrier island off the coast of Sarasota, at around 8.30pm local time on Wednesday according to the National Hurricane Center.
Once a category five hurricane, the storm has since been downgraded to category one as it barrels its way across the Sunshine State as officials warn of life-threatening storm surges while deadly tornadoes have also spawned.
Here’s everything you need to know this morning:
- At least two people have been killed after a tornado levelled more than 100 homes in St Lucie County in southeastern Florida while others were taken to hospital
- Nearly three million people were left without power as the storm barrels its way across the state where several months’ worth of rain has fallen in a few hours
- The roof of Tropicana Field, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays, was ripped to shreds when devastating 100mph-plus winds came ashore on Wednesday to leave huge sections of the domed stadium in tatters
- In St. Petersburg, a gigantic crane teetered off the top of a building and crashed into the offices of the Tampa Bay Times.
- While an emergency flood warning was issued in Tampa where nearly 10 inches of rain has been dumped – surpassing its October average of 2.3 inches.
18:27
At least 27 tornadoes reported across Florida, NWS reveals
Hurricane Milton spawned several devastating tornadoes that wreaked havoc on Florida communities Wednesday afternoon.
At least 27 twisters were reported across the state, the National Weather Service said, noting that it is working to confirm all of the reports.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said the tornadoes killed residents, but did not disclose how many people died.
‘We have lost some life,’ he told WPBF News, noting it was ‘more than one person’.
According to Florida’s Division of Emergency Management about 125 homes were destroyed before Milton made landfall, many of them mobile homes in communities for senior citizens.
Milton is expected to continue bringing ‘devastating rains and damaging winds’ across the central Florida peninsula throughout Thursday before exiting the state late in the day for the Atlantic Ocean.
A drone view shows a house destroyed by a tornado as Hurricane Milton approaches Fort Myers, Florida on Wednesday
A family stands outside their house after getting hit by a reported tornado in Fort Myers, Florida on Wednesday as Hurricane Milton approached
A tornado ripped through power lines in Wellington, Florida on Wednesday
A tornado severely damaged a home in the Binks Estate in Wellington, Florida on Wednesday before Hurricane Milton made landfall
Robert Haight looks around his destroyed house after it was hit by a reported tornado in Fort Myers, Florida, on October 9, 2024, as Hurricane Milton approaches
A home is severely damaged and a vehicle flipped over in the Avenir neighborhood of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida after a tornado ripped through the area
18:08
Lt Dan is ‘fine’ as he emerges from ‘secure’ boat
Joseph Malinowski, better known online as Lieutenant Dan, provided an update about his situation as he hunkered down inside his boat during Hurricane Milton.
He was seen sticking his head out of the boat at around 11pm as he insisted to NewsNation reporter Brian Entin that he was ‘fine,’ and posted his own TikTok earlier in the night detailing how he and his boat were holding up as the storm started to hit.
‘They’re saying the storm is still about an hour and a half out, and if that’s the case and I’m feeling double of what it is now, that’s not a problem, not a problem now,’ he said.
He said his boat was ‘secure, so I can only go so far’ in the 120mph winds, and told how his boat had not yet sustained any structural damage.
Lt Dan’s wild night at sea as he emerges from hurricane-battered boat
Joseph Malinowski, a one-legged Florida man who gained notoriety for deciding to ride out Hurricane Milton from inside his sailboat, has opened up about his wild night at sea.
17:59
National Hurricane Center posts 3am update on Hurricane Milton
The National Hurricane Center has said Milton’s sustained wind speeds were at 85mph, meaning it remains a category 1 hurricane.
A gust of 81mph was recorded at Daytona Beach International Airport and flood warnings remain over swathes of western and central Florida.
At 3am, the storm was 45 km (27 miles) east-south-east of Orlando and 30km (18 miles) west-south-west of Cape Canaveral.
Hurricane Milton leaves behind path of destruction
Hurricane Milton plowed into Florida as a Category 3 storm, bringing misery to a coast still ravaged by Helene, pounding cities with winds of over 100 mph (160 kph) after producing a barrage of tornadoes, but sparing Tampa a direct hit.
The storm tracked to the south in the final hours and made landfall Wednesday night in Siesta Key near Sarasota, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa.
The situation in the Tampa area was still a major emergency as St. Petersburg recorded over 16 inches (41 centimeters) of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of flash flooding there as well as other parts of western and central Florida.
Palm trees bend in the wind after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Brandon, Florida on Wednesday as an ‘extremely dangerous’ Category 3 hurricane, packing life-threatening storm surge, extreme winds and flash flooding
A vehicle is stranded on a water-flooded street after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Brandon, Florida on October 9, 2024
As Hurricane Milton makes landfall and batters the west coast of Florida historic Ybor City gets hit with torrential rain fall and wind gusts
Debris is strewn on a street following the collapse of a crane, during heavy rainfall and strong winds caused by Hurricane Milton, in St. Petersburg, Florida
A crane collapses on a building, during heavy rainfall and strong winds caused by Hurricane Milton, in St. Petersburg, Florida
Fearless weather reporter braves 100mph winds during live broadcast from Florida as Hurricane Milton rages
A brave TV weatherman was caught on camera attempting to report from the heart of Hurricane Milton as the ferocious storm came ashore on Wednesday night.
Robert Ray, a correspondent for Fox Weather could be seen on camera, complete with bike helmet and eye goggles, barely able to stand upright as he was thrashed by 100mph winds and pelted by driving rain in Bradenton, Florida.
Ray is one of dozens of reporters out and about in the horrendous weather conditions attempting to give a sense to viewers of what the conditions are like as the storm swirls about them.
Fearless weather reporter braves 100mph wind as Hurricane Milton rages
A brave weatherman, Robert Ray, was filmed reporting from the center of Hurricane Milton as it hit Bradenton, Florida, with 100mph winds.
15:11
Crane falls in St. Petersburg due to high winds, causing destruction to nearby buildings
The National Weather Service says it has received reports of multiple collapsed cranes due to high winds in St. Petersburg, about 50 miles south of Siesta Key, where Milton made landfall.
St. Petersburg Fire Rescue confirmed one collapse late Wednesday about six blocks from the city’s pier, into the building of the Tampa Bay Times newspaper. There were no reports of injuries.
The crane was at the site of a 515-foot-tall luxury high-rise building under construction that is being billed as one of the tallest buildings on the west coast of Florida. It was scheduled to be completed in summer 2025.
Milton knocks crane into building in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida
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Tornado tears path of destruction through Florida neighborhood shredding roofs and overturning cars
The wrath of Hurricane Milton has been felt in a Florida neighborhood after a violent tornado lashed homes and cars.
Video footage showed a path of destruction ripped through the Avenir neighborhood in Palm Beach Gardens before Milton made landfall.
In the clip, sted on X by Gelo Perez, roofs on multiple homes were seen damaged and missing panels that had been ripped off from the high-intensity winds.
Tornado tears path of destruction through Florida neighborhood
Video footage showed a path of destruction ripped through the Avenir neighborhood in Palm Beach Gardens as Milton made landfall.
14:25
City of St. Petersburg shuts down drinking water after main break
St. Petersburg, a city just 20 miles from Tampa Bay and where torn up Tropicana Field is located, has shut down all drinking water services.
A water main break has led to the city shutting off potable water service citywide beginning at midnight.
‘Residents and businesses should prepare for this temporary shutdown, which is expected to last until the necessary repairs can be completed,’ the city said in a statement.
Crews will only be able to conduct repairs when it becomes safe.
The city is also issuing a boil water notice for all drinking water
14:03
Wealthy Florida mom shows off her ‘Milton proof’ mansion that her husband built as hundreds beg them to evacuate
A wealthy Florida mom has taken to social media to show off her ‘Milton proof’ mansion ahead of the Category 3 storm.
The woman, who goes by the name Kricketfelt on TikTok, shared multiple clips of her and her family’s preparations for the forceful storm, as she made it abundantly clear that they plan to hunker down in their massive ‘commercial grade’ home her husband built.
Even though Floridians have been told by local law enforcement and the government to evacuate their homes, the mother-of-three is staying put with her husband and Rottweiler named Zeus.
In her clips, the woman repeatedly cursed as she showed viewers around her Florida mansion, covered in concrete, with the shoreline right off her backyard.
Viewers quickly flocked to her videos with many of them ripping her apart for her ‘humble’ attitude, while others sent her well wishes and asked her to go live during Hurricane Milton.
‘Humble pie coming right up ma’am,’ a person wrote.
Wealthy Florida mom shows off her ‘Milton proof’ mansion
A wealthy Florida mom took to social media to gloat about her ‘Milton proof’ mansion ahead of the Category 3 storm expected to make landfall on Wednesday night in the Sunshine State.
13:19
Roof of MLB stadium where first responders are sheltering from Hurricane Milton torn off
The roof on baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays stadium was ripped to shreds when devastating 100mph-plus winds from Hurricane Milton came ashore in Florida on Wednesday night.
It was not immediately clear whether there were any injuries inside Tropicana Field, located in nearby St. Petersburg. Images showed massive sections of the domed building’s roof completely tattered, giving a clear line of sight to the lights that were on inside the stadium.
Tampa Bay stadium roof rips apart as Milton tears through Florida
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The Tampa Bay Times reported that it was being used as ‘a staging site for workers’ who were brought to the area to deal with the storm´s aftermath.
The Rays had previously announced that they were ‘working with state and local emergency management partners … to aid efforts for debris removal.’
The stadium opened in 1990 and initially cost $138 million. It is due to be replaced in time for the 2028 season with a $1.3 billion ballpark.
Footage saw the slanted roofs torn off of the 34-year-old stadium. The roofs were designed to better protect it from such storms.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management designated the stadium as a 10,000-person base camp for debris cleanup operations and first-responders.
The storm, which is currently a Category 1, brought wind gusts exceeding 100 mph and flooding parts of the state. Tornadoes earlier Wednesday have killed ‘multiple people’ in St. Lucie County.
A Flash Flood Emergency was declared in the Tampa area through the late night hours from the high waters from, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night.
The winds are currently reaching the east coast of Florida as the eye of the storm moves inland, toward cities like Orlando, where emergency services have been shut down for the time being . After water was seen being pushed out of the bay, it will fill back up as winds blow the bay back in.
The National Hurricane Center says the storm made landfall at Siesta Key, Florida , a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota, with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour.
Already, over two million people in the region are without power due to the storm.
12:47
Doorbell cam shows car submerged in Hurricane Milton flood
Shocking video shows a car just hanging on as it becomes submerged in the flooding from Hurricane Milton.
Doorbell cam shows car submerged in Hurricane Milton flood
A Flash Flood Emergency was declared in the Tampa area from the high waters from Hurricane Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night.
The National Weather Service has declared a Flash Flood Emergency after 10 to 14 inches of rain have fallen in the Tampa Bay area, a region of just over two million people.
The emergency in Tampa will last until at least 2:30 a.m. local time, with some nearby areas facing flash flooding until 4 a.m.
‘Between 10 and 14 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is already occurring,” the NWS said. “This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!’
12:10
Milton described as ‘one in a thousand years’ rain event
Scientists are describing Hurricane Milton as delivering ‘one in a thousand year’ winds as the storm makes landfall.
At one point, the city of St. Petersburg reported just over five inches of rain in one hour, nearing the threshold for a one-in-thousand year event.
Flash Flood Emergency declared for Tampa Bay area as authorities beg ‘SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!’
The National Weather Serice has declared a Flash Flood Emergency after 10 to 14 inches of rain have fallen in the Tampa Bay area, a region of just over two million people.
The emergency will last until at least 2:30 a.m. local time.
‘Between 10 and 14 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is already occurring,” the NWS said. “This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!’
11:37
Tampa Electric outage leaves more than one million residents in the dark
More than one million Florida residents have been left without power, as shocking footage shows a tornado tearing through a Florida neighborhood destroying powerlines.
The outages are concentrated in Sarasota and Manatee County, according to USAToday data.
The horrifying footage, posted on Instagram by Abc7ny, shows a Hurricane Milton-related tornado raging through the sky in Wellington, Florida.
Powerlines are seen brightly bursting as the tornado tore them apart. Cars in the video sped away from the unexpected sparks.
Hurricane Milton made landfall as a category 3 storm on Wednesday night.
Tornado rips through Florida residents scramble without electricity
Over 1.1million Floridians have been left without power, as shocking footage shows a tornado tearing through a Florida neighborhood destroying powerlines.
11:33
Eerie video shows eye of Milton as it passes through Sarasota
The eye of Hurricane Milton is passing through downtown, Sarasota, Florida, showing an eerie calm before the storm returns.
Sarasota is set to be directly in the path of Milton, which made landfall earlier Wednesday night.
‘Multiple fatalities’ from tornado outbreak Wednesday in Florida
The Sheriff of Florida’s St. Lucie County has said there have been ‘multiple fatalities’ due to a tornado outbreak ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton on Wednesday.
Sheriff Keith Pearson did not say exactly how many were killed, but they died when the twisters hit Spanish Lakes Country Club in Fort Pierce.
10:36
Hurricane Milton makes landfall on the coast of Florida
Hurricane Milton has made landfall as a Category 3 storm on the west coast of Florida , the fifth hurricane to make landfall in the United States in 2024.
The National Hurricane Center says the storm made landfall at Siesta Key, Florida, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota, with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour.
The five storms to make landfall in 2024 are more than the years 2021 through 2023 combined.
09:58
Florida already underwater with terrifying footage showing monster storm surge swallowing whole suburbs as Hurricane Milton’s ferocious eyewall nears the coast
Florida is already beginning to flood in at least six inches of rain as Hurricane Milton lands ashore and the storm surge is already 3.7 feet above typically dry ground.
Coercion Code - "Dark Times are upon us" 