Hurricane Milton latest: Biden visits hard-hit communities in Florida as power outages continue in Tampa
Forecasters have warned that the threat of dangerous flooding will remain in place for days or even weeks
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President Joe Biden visited Florida on Sunday to tour communities impacted by Hurricane Milton.
During the visit, the president announced more than $600m in funding for projects for electric grid resilience to help the state become better equipped to deal with future storms.
So far, at least 23 people have died as a result of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday night, spawning dozens of tornadoes, 28ft waves, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and devastating storm surge.
Six people in St Lucie County retirement village were killed by tornadoes brought on by the hurricane after a dozen twisters spawned in the region within 20 minutes.
While Floridians return home to survey the damage to their communities, officials are warning that major flooding could still hit north of Tampa.
As of Sunday evening, more than 517,000 homes were still without power in Florida, with those in the west-central region the worst impacted. Damage from the storm is estimated to have cost upwards of $160bn.
Biden announces $612m electric grid investments during visit to survey Hurricane Milton damage in Florida
Lieutenant Dan became an overnight sensation riding out Hurricane Milton. Then his long criminal past came to light
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Over 500,000 still without power in Florida
More than 517,000 people remained without electricity in Florida as of late Sunday evening, according to utilities tracker Poweroutage.us.
They join the more than 17,000 people in North Carolina still cut off from the grid in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
WATCH: Aircraft flies through Hurricane Milton
ICYMI: Biden announces $612m electric grid investments during visit to survey Hurricane Milton damage in Florida
President Joe Biden anounced $612m funding for investments in the electric grid, including $94m for storm-battered Florida, during a visit Sunday to the Sunshine State to survey the damage from Hurricane Milton.
“Moments like this we come together to take care of each other – not as Democrats or Republicans but as Americans,” Biden said during remarks in St. Pete Beach.
“Americans who need help, Americans who would help you if you were in a similar situation. We are one United States. One United States.”
The Florida investments include $47m to Gainesville Regional Utilities and $47m to Switched Source to partner with Florida Power and Light.
Such projects will form a part of the state’s long-term recovery from Hurricanes Milton and Helene, which raged over the state over a period of less than two weeks between late September and this Wednesday, when Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm.
Read more in our full story.
Biden announces $612m in grid investments during visit to survey Hurricane Milton
State reeling from two major hurricanes in less than two weeks
Hurricanes and viral fame collide in story of TikTok’s ‘Lieutenant Dan'
A woman who says she’s the daughter of Joseph Malinowski, 54 — a Tampa, Florida man who went viral and was dubbed “Lieutenant Dan” for his decision to ride out the approaching hurricanes Helene and Milton on his boat — is worried that his sudden fame and donations from wellwishers will put her father at risk.
Ashley Ann Malinowski voiced her concern in a series of TikToks on Friday.
“Lieutenant Dan was doing just fine without all that money,” she told viewers in one video.
“Y’all TikTok f***ing famous people, y’all blowing him up and he’s gonna be dead before he can f***ing enjoy that boat and stuff. Because look at him, after y’all got a hold of him and now he’s high as f*** on all these videos.”
More details in our full story.
Lt Dan’s daughter fears attention after Hurricane Milton will send him to ‘grave’
Joseph Malinowski became viral sensation for promising to ride out Hurricane Milton on his boat in Tampa
Hurricane Milton’s impact on wildlife
Hurricane Milton didn’t just impact Florida’s human residents. It also caused massive disruptions for the state’s famous wildlife.
Species like long-winged sooty terns and firgatebirds were blown hundreds of miles outside of their usual range, into states like Indiana and Kentucky.
Hurricane Helene, meanwhile, interrupted the migration of over 100 million birds, The Washington Post reports.
Hurricane Milton’s impact on wildlife
Hurricane Milton didn’t just impact Florida’s human residents. It also caused massive disruptions for the state’s famous wildlife.
Species like long-winged sooty terns and firgatebirds were blown hundreds of miles outside of their usual range, into states like Indiana and Kentucky.
Hurricane Helene, meanwhile, interrupted the migration of over 100 million birds, The Washington Post reports.
Pictures: The ongoing aftermath of Hurricane Milton
Floridians selling pieces of Tropicana Field roof on eBay
In a bizarre twist, Florida residents have taken to eBay to begin auctioning off pieces of Tropicana Field, the Tampa Bay Rays baseball stadium whose roof was ripped off during Hurricane Milton.
Pieces of the roof and outfield turf are selling for prices between $150 and a whopping $1000, USA Today reports.
More details on what happened to the stadium in our full story.
Hurricane Milton rips off the roof of Tropicana Field, home to Tampa Bay Rays
Drone images show debris littered across the field, which was supposed to be a base for 10,000 responders supporting the clean-up effort
Biden announces $612m electric grid investments during visit to survey Hurricane Milton damage in Florida
President Joe Biden anounced $612m funding for investments in the electric grid, including $94m for storm-battered Florida, during a visit Sunday to the Sunshine State to survey the damage from Hurricane Milton.
“Moments like this we come together to take care of each other – not as Democrats or Republicans but as Americans,” Biden said during remarks in St. Pete Beach. Such projects will form a part of the state’s long-term recovery from Hurricanes Milton and Helene, which raged over the state over a period of less than two weeks between late September and this Wednesday, when Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm.
At least 23 people in Florida are dead as a result of Milton.
The fallen include a woman crushed by a tree in her bedroom in Ormond Beach, an 89-year-old who had a cardiac emergency as paramedics were unable to answer calls, and an Orange County man electrocuted while cleaning post-storm detritus, according to The Tampa Bay Times.
More details in our full story.
Biden announces $612m in grid investments during visit to survey Hurricane Milton
State reeling from two major hurricanes in less than two weeks
Milton death toll now at 23
At least 23 people have died as a result of Hurricane Milton, according to reporting from the Tampa Bay Times.
The dead include an older woman crushed by a tree in Ormond Beach, an 89-year-old who suffered a cardiac emergency as parademics stopped responding to calls, and an Orange County man electrocuted whil cleaning up post-storm debris.
The state has also rescued more than 1,000 people stranded in homes and other buildings, Florida governor Ron DeSantis said yesterday.
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