Hurricane Milton: Cleanup underway in Florida, several dead ? DW ? 10
10/10/2024 October 10, 2024 Florida Governor De Santis says Milton damage 'not the worst-case scenario'
Florida Governor Ron De Santis said early on Thursday that the state had been spared "the worst-case scenario" as Hurricane Milton crossed overnight.
"We had over 80,000 people that went into shelters overnight as the storm hit the state," De Santis said.
He said that while the storm was significant, preliminary indications did not suggest damage on the extent feared before it made landfall.
"We will better understand the extent of the damage as the day progresses," De Santis said.
"What we can say is: the storm was significant, but thankfully, this was not the worst-case scenario. The storm did weaken before landfall, and the storm surge as initially reported has not been as significant overall as what was observed for Hurricane Helene."
A in Fort Meyers man inspects his home destroyed by a tornado unleased by Milton Image: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP
He said the most serious storm surge reported, likely in the region of 8-10 feet (roughly 2.45 meters to 3.05 meters) in Sarasota County on the western coast to the Gulf of Mexico, compared to figures roughly double that in the worst-hit places during Hurricane Helene.
Water levels in Florida were forecast to continue rising, he said, with flooding a potential risk not just now but in the coming days as a result. De Santis said flooding occurred on both the west and east coasts of the state overnight.
Milton moved east-northeast across the state and its eye was over the Atlantic Ocean rather than land by Thursday morning. It is currently projected to continue moving out to sea. But high wind speeds and heavy rains persisted in places in its wake.
