As major airports and tourist attractions in Florida reopened on Friday, rescue crews continued to pull people from floodwaters, while over 2 million homes and businesses remained without power after Hurricane Milton caused widespread devastation across the state.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds on Wednesday night, carving a destructive path across Florida. Coastal and inland areas were drenched with heavy rain and storm surge, while powerful winds led to blackouts and hurled large sailboats into front yards.
The hurricane also triggered a deadly tornado outbreak that claimed the lives of at least six people in St. Lucie County, on Florida’s east coast. National Weather Service crews were expected to assess the damage on Friday and determine how many tornadoes had occurred. The storm was responsible for at least 17 deaths statewide.
Tampa Bay, which is vulnerable to storm surge, avoided the worst-case scenario as Milton shifted south, pulling water away …