Hurricane Milton live updates: Biden visits hard-hit communities in Florida as power outages continue in Tampa
Forecasters have warned that the threat of dangerous flooding will remain in place for days or even weeks
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President Joe Biden is visiting Florida today to tour communities impacted by Hurricane Milton.
During the visit, the president is expected to announce more than $600m in funding for projects for electric grid resilience, to help the state become better equipped to deal with future storms.
With the storm also impacting fuel delivery, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the state is also offering free gasoline at state fuel depots.
So far, at least 17 people have been confirmed dead as a result of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday night, spawning dozens of tornadoes, 28ft waves, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and devastating storm surge.
Six people in St Lucie County retirement village were killed by tornadoes brought on by the hurricane after a dozen twisters spawned in the region within 20 minutes.
While Floridians return home to survey the damage to their communities, officials are warning that major flooding could still hit north of Tampa.
As of Sunday morning, more than 900,000 homes were still without power in Florida, with those in the west-central region the worst impacted. Damage from the storm is estimated to have cost upwards of $160bn.
Election officials warn that hurricanes could disrupt 2024 ballots
A pair of disastrous hurricanes could upend the upcoming 2024 election, according to officials in North Carolina and Florida.
“I speak for my colleagues around the state: It’s a rather simple formula – it’s hunker down, survive, and then we have to assess where we are with damages and make it work,” Brian Corley, the supervisor of elections in Florida’s Pasco County, told CNN.
“I’ve got precincts that are completely gone, that are completely washed away,” Mary Beth Tipton, the director of the board of elections in North Carolina’s Yancey County, added. “We’ve actually got a post office that’s washed away.”
Flood risk remains in Florida well after storm
Flood risk remains high in certain areas of Florida, even days after Hurricane Milton passed through the state.
“Major flooding” is forecast on the Withlacoochee River, north of Tampa, the National Weather Service said on Saturday night, which could impact Levy and Citrus Counties.
“Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads,” the agency warned. “Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas.”
‘Net zero’ neighborhood avoided blackouts during Milton
While parts of Florida were flattened and flooded by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, one South Florida development weathered the storms with few issues.
Hunters Point, near Bradenton Beach, is billed as the country’s first “net-zero” single-family housing development.
The development in Cortez, Florida, generates more energy than it uses via solar panels, and homes are built with hurricane-proofing technologies like concrete constructions, hurricane-proof fixtures, foam-reinforced walls, streets designed to divert flood waters, and buried power and interent lines.
As CNN reports, those inside the development were able to keep their electricity when millions lost it, even though Milton made landfall nearby.
“Everybody around us was completely dark at like five in the morning, and you see the lights on in our houses,” Marshall Gobuty, the founder and president of the development, told CNN. “So, it really was a test of why we did this.”
President Biden to visit Tampa area on Sunday
President Joe Biden will visit Florida on Sunday to survey the damage from Hurricane Milton, WTSP reports.
The president is set to arrive at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base, then conduct an aerial tour of storm damage in the surrounding area.
He’ll then head to St. Petersburg and get a briefing on the state of the disaster response.
Biden will then depart for Philadelphia.
Viral fame brings concern for a family after hurricanes
A woman who says she’s the daughter of Joseph Malinowski, 54 — a Tampa, Florida man who went viral and was dubbed “Lieutenant Dan” for his decision to ride out the approaching hurricanes Helene and Milton on his boat — is worried that his sudden fame and donations from wellwishers will put her father at risk.
Ashley Anny Malinowski voiced her concern in a series of TikToks on Friday.
“Lieutenant Dan was doing just fine without all that money,” she told viewers in one video.
“Y’all TikTok f***ing famous people, y’all blowing him up and he’s gonna be dead before he can f***ing enjoy that boat and stuff. Because Look at him, after y’all got a hold of him and now he’s high as f*** on all these videos.”
More details in our full story.
The new threat of conspiratorial disaster relief
In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, partisan politics have encouraged the frightening spread of conspiracies about disaster relief.
Last week, Kelly Rissman had this look about the new phenomenon.
How Trump and his allies spread false claims about FEMA and Hurricane Helene relief
As the southeastern US braces for yet another hurricane, Trump and his loyalists are busy spreading falsehoods about the federal response to the last one
Photos capture devastation of Hurricane Milton
White House announces Florida disaster declaration
Florida is officially a major disaster area, according to the Biden adminsitration.
The White House declared the state a major disaster area yesterday, it announced on Saturday, freeing up federal funding for impacted counties.
It’s a move that’s at odds with the recent apparent political conflict between vice president Kamala Harris and Florida governor Ron DeSantis.
‘It’s not about you Kamala!’ DeSantis lashes out at Harris over Hurricane Milton
Spat comes as Florida braces for ‘once-in-a-lifetime storm’
Pinellas County schools closed through Monday
Schools in Pinellas County, a peninsula containing the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, will remain closed on Monday, education officials announced, as the hard hit Tampa Bay region continues to recover from Hurricane Milton.
“No decision has been made about Tuesday, October 15,” the school system wrote on its website. “The district will communicate this decision by noon on Monday, October 14, and will be based on the closure of shelters and the stability of the power grid.”
DeSantis announces free gas as Florida faces fuel crunch
In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, residents of Florida are facing long lines to get fuel from gas stations with disrupted supply lines.
On Saturday, Florida governor Ron DeSantis announced residents would be able to get up to 10 gallons of free fuel from three state-run fuel depots spread across Plant City, Bradenton, and St. Petersburg.
The governor added three more such fuel depots were in the works.
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