Hurricane Milton Hits Central West Florida as Category Three Storm, Causing Widespread Damage

Hurricane Milton, the strongest hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico this late in the season, made landfall in central West Florida last night with devastating winds of 180 MPH near Siesta Key, just south of Sarasota. The powerful storm has resulted in at least 13 fatalities, some of which are linked to tornadoes that preceded the hurricane's landfall. President Biden and Vice President Harris have condemned price gouging and scams, vowing to hold offenders accountable. State authorities continue to support extensive search and rescue operations, successfully rescuing over 340 individuals and 49 pets. Early estimates suggest Milton may cause over $50 billion in uninsured losses, with significant damage reported at Tropicana Field in Saint Petersburg, where the Tampa Bay Rays’ home was partially destroyed. Initially planned as a 10,000-person base camp for cleanup efforts, the stadium will no longer serve this purpose as no injuries were reported. As Milton transitions into a post-tropical cyclone, sustained winds of 70 MPH continue to push it east into the Atlantic Ocean, with full damage assessments expected to take weeks.