The death toll from Hurricane Milton has increased to at least 14, following the report of another fatality in Hillsborough County, which encompasses Tampa, according to CNN. A woman in her late 70s passed away while participating in post-hurricane recovery efforts when a large tree branch fell on her around 11:00 am ET on Thursday, as detailed in a city news release.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw expressed condolences, stating, “Although the storm has passed, its devastation has tragically taken the life of one of our community members. Our thoughts are with the family as they grieve their loved one.”
Currently, over 2.9 million utility customers in Florida are without power. The storm, which initially hit as a Category 5 hurricane, made landfall as a Category 3, according to Al Jazeera.
In St. Lucie County, Sheriff Keith Pearson reported that 25 individuals were rescued from a mobile home park, which resulted in six fatalities. Although officials do not have a precise count of those still missing, efforts are underway to search through the debris for survivors. Pearson noted that the challenging conditions complicate these search efforts.
President Joe Biden has also urged individuals to prioritize safety amid Hurricane Milton. In a post on X, he advised, “To everyone impacted by Hurricane Milton: I urge you to stay inside and off the roads. Downed power lines, debris, and road washouts are creating dangerous conditions. Help is on the way, but until it arrives, shelter in place until your local officials say it’s safe to go out.” He also acknowledged the resilience shown by Americans during this crisis, saying, “We’ve seen incredible courage from so many Americans coming together—first responders, friends, families, and neighbors looking out for one another. To all the people impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene: We’ve got your back.”
As of Wednesday morning, over 23% of gas stations in Florida were out of fuel, with more than 59% in the Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg areas. This percentage has increased since Tuesday night, as reported by CBS News, citing GasBuddy. Additionally, tornado warnings were issued for various locations, alongside existing hurricane and storm surge warnings for many of the same areas.