Balance sheet of devastation

50 billion dollars in damage after Hurricane Milton

Scattered debris in Manasota Key in Florida after the passage of hurricane "Milton"

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/Rebecca Blackwell)

After Hurricane Milton, people in Florida returned to their homes on Friday, some of which had been destroyed. Around 2.5 million households and businesses were still without power and some areas were under water. At least 16 people lost their lives. According to US President Joe Biden, the damage amounts to 50 billion dollars.

According to the US authorities, most of the deaths were apparently not caused directly by the hurricane, but by the tornadoes triggered by Milton before it made landfall on Florida's Gulf coast. "Milton swept across Florida from west to east on Thursday night.

The hurricane knocked down trees and power lines, and houses were damaged or destroyed. In the city of St. Petersburg, the storm covered the roof of a stadium. A high alert had been in place for the previous days, with the authorities warning of a storm of the century with absolutely devastating consequences.

Considerable damage
There was no major catastrophe in the end, but at least 16 people lost their lives and the damage caused was considerable. According to the authorities, six people died in St. Lucie County, four in Volusia County, two in Pinellas and one in each of four other counties.

"Milton" made landfall on the Siesta Key peninsula on the west coast of Florida. Like many of the other 5,500 residents, 67-year-old Mark Horner has since returned to see the extent of the damage. "They said it was better than they feared - but if you look a little closer, you can see that we were really hit hard," he said.

"Dead bodies found in the tree"
"It was pretty scary," said Susan Stepp of Fort Pierce, a city on Florida's east coast, where four residents of a senior housing complex were killed by a tornado. "They found dead bodies outside in a tree," the 70-year-old reported. "I wish they had gotten to safety."

Remains of a house in Port St. Lucie, Florida

(Bild: APA Pool/Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP)

Stepp's husband, Bill, said the tornado lifted his 22-ton mobile home and tossed it through the backyard. It was "heartbreaking" to see how much damage was done and "that all the things you love are just gone," the 72-year-old said. "But it's just things, and we're still here."

Rescue and salvage operations were ongoing. The Coast Guard reported the spectacular rescue of a boat captain who was shipwrecked during the storm in the Gulf of Mexico and clung to a cooler in the water - and survived. "This man survived what was a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner," said Dana Grady from the Coast Guard.

Rainfall more severe due to climate change
72-year-old Kristin Joyce photographed uprooted trees and other storm damage in the region. The hurricane should be "a serious wake-up call" for people in the USA with regard to climate change, she said.

A rapid analysis published on Friday by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) research initiative came to the conclusion that, due to climate change, the rainfall from "Milton" was 20 to 30 percent heavier and the winds ten percent stronger.

"Milton" swept across Florida just two weeks after the storm "Helene". "Helene" made landfall a little further north and then moved through several states in the south-east of the USA. At least 237 people lost their lives as a result of "Helene", numerous buildings were damaged or completely destroyed and large areas were flooded. "After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Helene was the most devastating storm to hit the region in 50 years.