Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday near Siesta Key along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm, unleashing powerful winds, deadly storm surges, and potential flooding across much of the state, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
The storm drew fuel from the exceedingly warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, twice intensifying to Category 5 status before reaching the coastline.
Siesta Key, a barrier island off the city of Sarasota known for its white-sand beaches, is home to approximately 5,500 residents. Located about 113 kilometers south of Tampa, the community faced the full force of Milton’s landfall. While Tampa avoided a direct hit, the hurricane still produced deadly storm surges and powerful winds in the area.
Nearly 700,000 customers were left without power in Florida around the time Milton made landfall, according to PowerOutage.us. The storm’s impact extended along Florida’s Gulf Coast, affecting densely populated areas such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
