Almost two million customers remain without power in Florida Friday evening, 48 hours after the passage of Hurricane Milton, which cost the lives of 17 people and left hundreds of homes flooded and destroyed.
According to the website PowerOutage.us, as of 7:00 p.m. local time (00:00 GMT) on Friday, more than 1.9 million homes and businesses were without power, with counties on the state’s west-central coast being the most affected. most affected. , including Hardee, Hillsborough, Charlotte, Manatee, Sarasota and Pinellas, which were hit by the hurricane Wednesday evening.
Deaths in Milton, Florida increase at least 17, including several from tornadoes occurred before the arrival of the hurricane.
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However, the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, said that the number of deaths could increase while rescue operations continue, which are not yet complete.
At least six deaths have been confirmed so far in St. Lucie County on Florida’s east coast, where “fast-spinning tornadoes” made landfall before Milton’s arrival.
Authorities say several of those victims died after tornadoes sparked by Milton struck the area Wednesday afternoon and made landfall in the Spanish Lakes Country Village senior community, located north of Fort Pierce.
The National Weather Service (NWS) classified Friday as category EF3 tornado that hit the retirement community.
Authorities confirmed the long-track tornado had “winds up to 140 to 150 miles per hour” (225 to 240 kilometers per hour), damaging businesses and homes in its path.
Initial investigations determined that the tornado’s estimated path was at least 12 miles (19 kilometers)but the NWS believes it has spread further.
