More than two million homes and businesses lost power when the storm’s eye struck the Tampa Bay area directly, making it the first significant hurricane to do so in almost a century
The destruction caused by Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 hurricane that unleashed tornadoes throughout Florida, was shown through satellite images that revealed the extent of chaos and terror brought by the major storm.
Pictures reveal severe flooding, particularly along the state’s coast and on its barrier islands, but the deadly storm surge that forecasters predicted never materialized. Strong gusts and torrential rain destroyed homes and tore down power lines. St. Armands Key, a barrier island close to Sarasota, has flooded streets, according to one satellite image.
A satellite image of Ana Maria Island, a barrier island in Florida’s Manatee County, reveals flooded coastal residences and storm debris. Sand has been blown down the neighborhood’s main roadways, according to another image from the area.
Before-and-after pictures at a condo complex in Cortez, Florida, demonstrate the magnitude of the destruction
The destruction at Tampa Bay Rays home stadium Tropicana Field is depicted in another before-and-after picture
Before-and-after pictures at a condo complex in Cortez, Florida, demonstrate the magnitude of the destruction. Debris is strewn on the ground and part of the building’s roof has been torn off, according to a shot taken after the storm. Flooding and other debris are also visible in the picture.
The destruction at Tampa Bay Rays home stadium Tropicana Field is depicted in another before-and-after picture. The stadium had served as a first response staging area prior to the storm. The building’s fabric roof was torn apart by strong winds. Images reveal the enormous spaces where the cloth that covered the roof of the domed building had been torn to pieces. According to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, the event did not result in any injuries. Although debris is visible on the pitch, the extent of the damage inside the stadium was not immediately apparent.
Flooded streets in St. Armands Key after Hurricane Milton, in Sarasota, Florida.
In other documentation of the storm, A Florida man was seen being ambushed by an alligator while driving his car Wednesday night when the reptile suddenly leapt out the flood waters brought on by Hurricane Milton.
Terrifying footage shows the man looking out his car window when he notices a “big f—— alligator” chewing on his tire, which practically sends him flying back into his car. The gator is a bit hard to see as the video was taken at night, making the situation all the more horrific.
Apex predators like alligators are another serious hazard of rushing floodwaters, which can carry them for miles until they land on a residential doorstep
Apex predators like alligators are another serious hazard of rushing floodwaters, which can carry them for miles until they land on a residential doorstep, according to wildlife experts who warned individuals about this hours before Milton touched down in the state. The historic Category 3 storm is bringing deadly flooding to Florida as residents shelter from life-threatening 120mph winds that are ripping the state apart. The eye of the storm hit the Tampa Bay area directly, the first major hurricane to do so in more than a century, knocking electricity out for more than two million households and businesses.
At least 125 homes, and one 10,000 square sheriff’s facility in St. Lucie County, have been destroyed. Jane Castor, Tampa Mayor, issued a grave warning to residents during an appearance on CNN in the days before Milton’s landfall, ordering residents to adhere to the mandatory evacuations or face death after their homes get wrecked and turned into “coffins.”
