Hurricane Milton don hit Florida hard, causing serious damage and loss of life, especially for retirement communities. On Wednesday night, Hurricane Milton make landfall as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, bringing heavy rainfall, powerful winds, and tornadoes that devastate many areas.
In St. Lucie County, multiple tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton tore through a senior mobile home community at Spanish Lakes Country Club Village, resulting in the deaths of at least six people. The tornadoes, which hit around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, caused extensive damage, including roofs falling off homes and significant debris. Sheriff Keith Pearson described the scene as “like nothing other we’ve seen” and confirmed that 12 high-strength tornadoes hit the area within 20 minutes.
The storm also led to widespread power outages, with over 3.2 million Floridians without electricity as of Thursday morning. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, National Guard, and other agencies were involved in search and rescue operations, which were temporarily halted due to bad weather conditions but resumed in the morning.
In addition to the tornado damage, Hurricane Milton brought significant flooding and storm surges. In Punta Gorda, residents found their homes flooded, and large boats were deposited in front yards near the waterfront. The city’s popular Fisherman’s Village was also damaged, with boats in the marina either half-sunken or rammed against docks.
Governor Ron DeSantis mobilized around 9,000 National Guard members and 50,000 utility workers to aid in recovery efforts. Emergency resources, including housing shelters and Red Cross assistance, were made available to residents affected by the storm.
