Hurricane Milton makes landfall on Florida coast, leaving 2m without power and record flooding: Live updates
Multiple fatalities have already been reported as Hurricane Milton wrecks havoc along the Florida coastline
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Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Milton were instructed to hunker down as the massive storm hit the state.
The hurricane made landfall early Wednesday night near Sarasota County’s Siesta Key.
The then-Category 3 storm has brought destructive tornadoes, 28ft waves, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge across multiple areas
More than 2 million customers were without power across the Sunshine State, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US.
While Milton’s intensity continues to fluctuate, weakening to a Category 2 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center predicts it will be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida”.
Federal and state officials have urged those in Milton’s path to evacuate to avoid “catastrophic” winds, up to 18in rainfall and up to 15ft of storm surge, before the major hurricane slams into Florida’s west-central coast.
Vice President Kamala Harris warned that even the toughest Floridians won’t weather the “historic” hurricane, she said on The Late Show on Tuesday night.
Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche told CNN on Wednesday that officers will stay on the streets until Milton’s winds top 45mph.
“If people need help, we’re not going to be able to come to them,” he said.
DeSantis on misinformation related to FEMA assistance in state of Florida: ‘We are going to do it right'
“I am in charge in Florida. We are working with FEMA to leverage resources,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told CBS Wednesday night. “But, we make the decisions. You will be allowed back into your home as soon as the storm passes.”
“We are going to do it right,” he said.
Reporter rescues wailing cat stuck under car as Milton’s rains pound western Florida
Milton’s northern eyewall moves onshore near Tampa, St. Petersburg
The northern eyewall of Hurricane Milton is beginning to move onshore near Tampa and St. Petersburg, where an Extreme Wind Warning is now in effect until after 9 p.m. EDT.
“Please shelter in place as these extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds overspread the region,” the National Hurricane Center said.
FACT FOCUS: Online posts make unfounded claims about a helicopter delivering aid in North Carolina
A video of a helicopter attempting to land in a Burnsville, North Carolina, area used to store supplies for victims of Hurricane Helene has been viewed millions of times online, with many claiming that it shows an unidentified government aircraft sent to destroy the aid.
The allegations have been used to support wider misinformation narratives that have grown following the punishing Category 4 storm as federal, state and local governments work with a range of groups to address the sweeping devastation in the area.
The North Carolina National Guard on Tuesday issued a statement verifying it was one of their helicopters attempting to make a generator delivery to the site.
The Associated Press has more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-north-carolina-facts-tiktok-american-b2626807.html
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