Live Updates: Hurricane Milton Continues to Cause Devastation Across Florida

 **Hurricane Milton Devastates Florida: Flash Flooding, Tornadoes, and Widespread Destruction**

As Hurricane Milton continued its destructive path across East and Central Florida on Thursday morning, it left a trail of devastation in its wake. Even though the powerful storm was moving away from the Atlantic coast, it still maintained hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall, exacerbating the already severe conditions in parts of the state. As forecasters warned of further threats, communities along Florida's eastern shores braced for flash flooding, storm surges, and damaging winds.

### Impact Along the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts

Florida's Gulf Coast had already endured the full force of Milton when it made landfall on Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane. The region experienced deadly tornadoes and life-threatening storm surges. In some places, entire neighborhoods were flooded, homes destroyed, and infrastructure severely damaged. Streets were submerged in water, with some homes entirely inundated by the storm surge. The storm tore through communities, toppling buildings and ripping the roof off Tropicana Field, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays.

While the storm weakened as it moved inland, downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane by Thursday morning, its ferocity persisted. Milton continued to pose a serious threat to inland counties, delivering punishing winds, heavy rain, and a string of tornadoes. 

### Power Outages and Damage

The hurricane’s destructive winds knocked out power to more than three million Floridians by early Thursday, with some areas along the west coast seeing over 80 percent of customers without electricity. The storm triggered a state of emergency in most Florida counties, leaving entire regions without power, and utility companies scrambling to respond to the growing crisis. 

In Hillsborough and Pasco Counties, officials began recovery efforts as soon as conditions allowed, clearing debris from the storm’s wrath. Residents of the Spanish Lakes Country Club Village in Fort Pierce weren’t as lucky. Tornadoes caused by Milton struck the retirement community, leaving several people dead, and dozens of buildings were either damaged or completely destroyed. Search and rescue operations continued throughout the night and into Thursday morning.

### Tornadoes and Emergency Response

One of Milton’s most dangerous effects was the multitude of tornadoes spawned as it tore through the state. The tornadoes left a path of destruction, demolishing homes and overturning vehicles. In the retirement community of Spanish Lakes, tornadoes ripped through homes, causing fatalities. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office coordinated ongoing search and rescue operations. The National Weather Service has explained that tornadoes often accompany hurricanes due to the storm's internal dynamics, making Milton even deadlier.

In the city of St. Petersburg, a crane collapsed at the Residences 400 Central, a luxury 46-story building under construction, after being battered by hurricane-force winds. The crane came crashing down onto a neighboring building that housed the offices of the Tampa Bay Times. Although no injuries were reported, authorities urged the public to steer clear of the area while emergency workers assessed the damage.

### Stories from the Eye of the Storm

For many Floridians, riding out Hurricane Milton was a harrowing experience. In a hotel lobby near Tampa, a group of evacuees huddled together as the storm made landfall, exchanging information, tracking storm updates, and sharing their fears. “It’s nerve-wracking not knowing what’s happening outside,” said one evacuee. As the storm whipped through the city, they could hear the roar of the wind and the sound of objects crashing against the hotel’s exterior.

In Lakeland, 35 miles east of Tampa, Monty Askari, who was working the night shift at a Howard Johnson hotel, described the chaotic scene. "We’re completely sold out because of the storm. People have come in from all over seeking shelter, and the winds outside are howling,” he said. Power had already gone out in parts of the city, and emergency services were grounded due to unsafe conditions as wind speeds soared past 80 miles per hour.

### Inland Threats: High Winds and Flooding

While hurricanes tend to weaken once they make landfall, Milton defied expectations by retaining much of its power. By early Thursday, it was still a strong Category 1 hurricane, with sustained winds of over 80 miles per hour, wreaking havoc across inland counties like Osceola and Polk. 

In Osceola County, high winds were the biggest threat, with emergency shelters filling quickly as residents sought refuge from the storm. Over 1,400 people had voluntarily moved into shelters as of early Thursday. The county's emergency management director, Bill Litton, reported that most emergency medical services were temporarily suspended due to hazardous conditions, with sustained winds exceeding 45 mph. Flash flood warnings were also in effect across the region, with forecasts predicting six to eight inches of rain.

Polk County, a neighboring inland county with a population of around 380,000, was also severely impacted. Nearly half of the county’s residents were without power, and local officials were bracing for widespread flooding. “Now is the time to hunker down,” urged Paul Womble, Polk County’s emergency management director. “It’s not safe out there, and the storm hasn’t fully hit us yet.”

### The Road to Recovery

As the worst of Hurricane Milton began to pass, Florida’s Gulf Coast was already initiating recovery efforts. Authorities in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties cleared debris in the early hours of Thursday, while residents in affected areas began returning to their homes, assessing the damage. But the road to recovery will be long, as extensive damage, power outages, and flooding have left much of the state grappling with the storm's aftermath.

Even as Milton moves back into the Atlantic Ocean, its lingering effects will continue to challenge Florida for days to come. Authorities warn residents to remain vigilant as flash flooding, tornadoes, and dangerous winds persist in parts of the state. With the destruction widespread and the death toll still rising, it is clear that Hurricane Milton will be remembered as one of the most devastating storms to strike Florida in recent memory.