Photos: 3 million lose power as Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida

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A house lies toppled off its stilts after the passage of Hurricane Milton, in Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 10

A house lies toppled off its stilts after the passage of Hurricane Milton, in Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, Florida, Thursday [Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo]

Published On 10 Oct 2024

Hurricane Milton is barreling into the Atlantic Ocean after ploughing across Florida.

Milton caused at least five deaths and compounded the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago, while sparing the city of Tampa a direct hit.

The storm weakened in the final hours, making landfall late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm in Siesta Key, about 70 miles (113km) south of Tampa.

The storm knocked out power to more than three million customers and whipped up a barrage of tornadoes.

While it caused a lot of damage and water levels may continue to rise for days, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said it was not “the worst-case scenario.”

Jennifer Francis, senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Centre, told Al Jazeera that the powerful storms experienced by the US southeast in recent years are partly a result of man-made climate change.

“By putting so many greenhouse gases, carbon-containing gases, into the atmosphere that trap more heat by the surface, most of that heat goes into the ocean,” said Francis.

“And we know that heat in the ocean is the fuel that these storms feed off of. What this extra energy does to these storms is make them stronger, it makes them intensify more rapidly, [and] the evaporation from the extra warm water provides more moisture for them to use as rain – and we’ve seen the very heavy rain totals coming out of these storms,” she added.

Water-flooded streets are seen after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida, on October 9

Water-flooded streets are seen after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida. [Chandan Khanna/AFP]

Marie Cook reacts to the damage to her home in the Binks Estates community after a tornado formed by Hurricane Milton touched down striking homes in The Preserve and Binks Estate among others in its path in Wellington, Florida, U.S. October 9

Marie Cook reacts to the damage to her home in the Binks Estates community after a tornado formed by Hurricane Milton touched down striking homes in The Preserve and Binks Estate among others in its path in Wellington, Florida. [Bill Ingram/Palm Beach Post/USA Today Network via Reuters]

In this aerial view, Flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10

In this aerial view, floodwaters inundate a neighbourhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore, in Punta Gorda. [Joe Raedle/Getty Images via AFP]

Residents are rescued from an their second story apartment complex in Clearwater that was flooded from and overflowing creek due to Hurricane Milton on October 10

Residents are rescued from an their second story apartment complex in Clearwater. Florida that was flooded from and overflowing creek due to Hurricane Milton. [Bryan R Smith/AFP]

A billboard structure is seen after it was uprooted during Hurricane Milton, in Clearwater. [Julio Cortez/AP Photo]

A water rescue team member walks through flood waters at an apartment complex in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Thursday, Oct. 10

A water rescue team member walks through flood waters at an apartment complex in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, in Clearwater. [Mike Stewart/AP Photo]

The facade of a collapsed business in downtown Orlando, Florida, due to Hurricane Milton on October 10

The facade of a collapsed business in downtown Orlando, Florida. [Giorgio Viera/AFP]

In this aerial view, boats rest in a yard after they were washed ashore when Hurricane Milton passed through the area on October 10

Boats rest in a yard after they were washed ashore when Hurricane Milton passed through the area, in Punta Gorda, Florida. [Joe Raedle//Getty Images via AFP]

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