First interim assessment

Hurricane “Milton”: pictures of a disaster

Thousands of Americans are left with nothing.

(Bild: Getty Images/Sean Rayford)

The US state of Florida has apparently been spared the worst-case scenario. But the mega-hurricane "Milton" has now left thousands of Americans with nothing, and some have been swept to their deaths. Images of the devastation document a region in an absolute state of emergency.

Wind speeds of up to 195 kilometers per hour, "super-charged" tornadoes, heavy rain and flash floods have hit Florida in the past few hours. Hurricane Milton made landfall near Sarasota on the west coast and cut a swathe of devastation through the state.

• The good news: the hurricane has left the mainland again.
• The bad news: the heavy rain continues. Water levels could still rise by up to four meters, especially on the west coast. 

From one disaster to the next
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that his state could have been hit much harder. The "worst-case scenario" had failed to materialize and the storm had weakened significantly before it made landfall. The storm surge was not as severe as Hurricane Helene about two weeks ago, which caused severe damage in the region. Many people had not yet recovered from this devastation when "Milton" hit.

Five fatalities have been confirmed in St. Lucie County, DeSantis said at a press conference Thursday. The county previously confirmed four deaths following tornadoes that swept through the area before the arrival of Hurricane Milton on Wednesday. The cause of the fifth death was not immediately released.

"Supercharged" tornadoes
These hurricanes were "super-charged" compared to conventional tornadoes, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan told CNN on Thursday, "They were more long-lived. They were more powerful. There were more of them."

Relief workers fish a boy out of the floodwaters:

In quite a few affected areas on Thursday morning (local time), it was still unclear whether there were any more fatalities. Rescue workers were working under high pressure to get an overview and initiate relief measures, it was reported.

The Sheriff of Hillsborough County, Chad Chronister, appealed to residents to be patient. "There are so many trees and power poles down that we literally have to make our way to those affected," he said in an interview with CNN and warned against acting independently: "It's too dangerous."

Sheriff gets emotional
During a boat tour of the disaster area, he explained: "This is a neighborhood that doesn't have much. The inhabitants have very little, and what little they had, they have lost. The water is three meters high, up to the second floor. This is a heavily Latino community, their church is gone, their cars are gone. Again, people don't live paycheck to paycheck - they live day to day and have nothing," said Chronister, who became emotional at the scene.

The mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor, also issued an urgent warning during a press conference: "It's not over yet." As a result of the rainfall, rivers could burst their banks and cause further flooding. In this context, DeSantis warned of the dangers of assessing the damage: standing water could conceal torn power lines. Bacteria in the water could lead to fatal infections.

Drone images show the extent of the destruction:

Although the worst fears apparently did not materialize, the consequences of the hurricane are devastating: around three million households were initially without power. In the city of St. Petersburg, drinking water was cut off due to a burst water pipe.

Repairs should begin as soon as workers can safely reach the pipes. The US Department of Justice also warned that weather disasters such as "Milton" are often exploited by unscrupulous profiteers to charge exorbitant prices.

US President Joe Biden promised comprehensive aid measures and postponed a planned trip to Germany and Angola in order to focus on the crisis. During a meeting with representatives of important authorities, he spoke of a "storm of the century".