Hurricane Milton LIVE: Pinellas County Law Enforcement Rescues 430 Residents from Floodwaters

Several buildings were damaged, including the mayor’s residence in Cocoa Beach, Florida as Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm, bringing powerful winds, deadly storm surge and potential flooding to much of the state.

Hurricane Milton barreled toward Florida’s battered Gulf Coast as an enormous Category 5 storm on Tuesday, triggering massive traffic jams and fuel shortages as officials ordered more than 1 million people to flee before it slams into the Tampa Bay area.

Further, Hurricane Milton’s trajectory is also contributing to concerns. While most Atlantic hurricanes travel from east to west, Milton is taking an unusual path, moving east-northeast across the Gulf of Mexico. This rare path gives the storm more time to gather energy from the warm Gulf waters, which are currently fueling its rapid intensification.

As of Tuesday, Milton returned to the maximum Category 5 designation, generating maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (270 kph), the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

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430 Residents Rescued from Floodwaters in Pinellas County

Police in Pinellas County, Florida, conducted a number of rescue operations. One of them involved rescuing 430 residents from an apartment complex after flooding reached the second-floor balcony, according to a county emergency management official cited by CNN.

House in Venice beach nearly submerged in sand after Hurricane Milton | Video

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said nearly 1000 people rescued so far

Florida governor Ron DeSantis said in a briefing Thursday late evening that 999 individuals and 105 animals have been rescued so far since Hurricane Milton made landfall on Thursday. The Urban Search and Rescue Teams and the Florida National Guards were deployed in the state to carry out the rescue operations.

Death toll from Miton rises to 14 after woman dies being hit by tree branch

The death toll in Milton has risen to at least 14 after a woman was killed by a falling tree branch. The woman, in her late 70s, was working on post-hurricane restoration when the incident occurred in Hillsborough County. Tampa Police Chief expressed condolences, noting the ongoing impact of the storm.

Several buildings damaged, including the mayor’s residence in Cocoa Beach, Florida

Tampa Hospital Prepares For Hurricane With Flood Walls

Tampa General Hospital is bracing for Hurricane Milton by installing a 15-foot AquaFence around its Davis Islands campus and stockpiling essential supplies. Equipped with a water well and energy plant, the hospital is ready to weather the storm and maintain operations.

Biden begs Florida residents to flee as Milton returns to Category 5

US President Joe Biden has begged Florida residents to flee Hurricane Milton, warning that the Category 5 storm could turn into the worst natural disaster to hit the state in a century. “It’s a matter of life and death, and that’s not hyperbole,” Biden said from the White House on Tuesday, urging those under orders to leave to “evacuate now, now, now.”

When Will Hurricane Milton Make Landfall

Milton, which exploded on Monday into one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record, was forecast to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.

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