Cleanup and repairs are under way in Florida after Hurricane Milton crossed the state from coast to coast overnight, killing at least nine people, damaging thousands of buildings, shutting down travel and leaving more than 3 million people without power.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Siesta Key near Sarasota. It weakned to a Category 1 storm as it moved across the width of the Florida peninsula before moving offshore and into the Atlantic Ocean this morning. It was the third hurricane of the season to strike Florida.
Before it exited, Milton spawned numerous tornadoes, flooded communities with rain (including almost 19 inches in St. Petersburg), and produced record storm surges along the coasts.
The storm has also disrupted all forms of transportation in Florida. The state’s major airports closed and more than 3,000 flights cancelled. All of the states’s ports were closed by the storm and numerosu highways were closed by debris or damage.
The Florida Department of Transportation today posted to its Facebook page: “Our crews are on the ground inspecting and repairing areas impacted by #HurricaneMilton, including a washout on southbound Florida’s Turnpike/SR 91 at milepost 280 in Lake County. Safety is our top priority as we work to restore services throughout the Turnpike system.”
For road conditions, visit Florida511.
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