Hurricane Milton caused extensive damage to the Tampa, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Fort Myers, Fla., areas, including nearby barrier islands, while other popular tourism destinations received a more glancing blow from the Category 3 storm as it roared across the state from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic coast.
Packing high winds, spawning tornadoes, and generating a 5-to-10-foot storm surge that caused coastal flooding, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in the early morning hours of Oct. 10. The storm resulted in at least 16 deaths and left more than 2 million people without power. Widespread flooding was reported in Tampa, Clearwater, and on barrier islands on Florida’s west coast; the Tampa Bay Rays’ home stadium, Tropicana Field, lost its domed roof in the storm.
Florida Post-Milton
From Naples to Siesta Key, the Florida coast reported the highest storm surge from Milton, and downtown Fort Myers was inundated by flood waters. Most west coast communities affected by the storm are just beginning recovery efforts today, including rescuing people trapped by flooding, clearing sand from roads and restoring electrical service.
In the Sarasota area, Siesta Key remains closed to all but residents. Lido Key and Longboat Key are accessible via a single span of the Little Ringling Bridge, but Longboat Key currently has no power or water and is only open to residents. All beaches are closed.
The Sanibel Causeway to Sanibel Island and Captiva Island reopened without restrictions today; however, “We ask that if you do not have business or need to travel to Sanibel or Captiva that you do not travel to the islands to allow crews to expedite clean-up and restore utilities on the island,” the city of Sanibel requested.
Similarly, “At this time, travel is discouraged for the safety of our visitors and residents and to expedite clean-up and repair,” according to a notice from Visit Sarasota. “It is imperative to note this impact is not permanent and we will rebuild.”
Damage was less severe inland. The storm passed close to the Orlando area, for example, but Walt Disney World—which had shut down ahead of the storm—reopened today. While the large storm brought tropical storm-force winds as far south as the Florida Keys, no significant damage was reported there.
