Hurricane Milton Causes Historic Rainfall and Damage

Hurricane Milton, a strong Category 3 storm, made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, causing significant devastation with extensive flooding and infrastructure damage, including a crane collapse in Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay area experienced a 1-in-1,000-year rainfall event, with St. Petersburg recording over 18 inches of rain in 24 hours. In North Fort Myers, tornadoes destroyed homes, including that of Liz Kelly, whose son saved her life during the collapse. St. Lucie County reported four fatalities due to tornadoes, and the hurricane caused over 3.2 million power outages across Central Florida. A curfew has been implemented in Sarasota to ensure public safety post-storm, and insurance agents stress the importance of coverage due to potential rate increases nationwide. This extreme weather event has been linked to climate change, which is increasing the frequency and intensity of such storms due to rising sea surface temperatures and a warmer atmosphere capable of holding more moisture.