Hurricane Milton Strikes Florida: Tornadoes, Power Outages, and Community Resilience

Hurricane Milton swept across Florida, generating tornadoes, damaging homes, and disrupting power for millions before moving into the Atlantic. Despite initial flooding fears, Tampa Bay faced lesser impact. At least four fatalities occurred in St. Lucie County, with widespread damage reported. Emergency crews continue to assess the aftermath and assist affected communities.

Hurricane Milton unleashed chaos across Florida on Thursday, spawning tornadoes and cutting off power to millions as it headed into the Atlantic, leaving a trail of devastation.

In St. Lucie County, four fatalities were reported after an unconfirmed tornado struck a retirement community, local media indicated. Power outages affected over 3 million homes and businesses statewide.

Tampa Bay fortunately avoided anticipated catastrophic flooding, although the city's infrastructure still bore the brunt of uprooted trees and downed powerlines. Emergency crews continue to assess damage and clear debris, with officials warning of potential river flooding from up to 18 inches of rain.

(With inputs from agencies.)