Hurricane Milton has inflicted approximately $50 billion in damages, according to President Joe Biden. The Category 3 storm devastated Florida, resulting in 16 fatalities and leaving millions without power. Biden is expected to visit the affected areas on Sunday as officials evaluate the extent of the destruction.
“I want everyone in the impacted areas to know we’re going to do everything we can to help you pick back up the pieces and return to normalcy,” Biden stated on Friday.
Governor Ron DeSantis remarked that the state had avoided a “worst-case scenario,” although significant damage still occurred. The Tampa Bay region managed to evade the anticipated storm surge, which had raised alarms.
Authorities noted that the situation could have been far worse without widespread evacuations. The recent devastation from Hurricane Helene, which struck just two weeks prior, likely encouraged many residents to flee in advance of Milton’s arrival.
As of 8 PM on Wednesday, the time of Milton’s landfall, the National Weather Service confirmed 19 tornadoes in Florida, with a total of 45 reported throughout the day, mainly in central and eastern areas.
The Biden administration has assured that it is “providing all the resources needed” to support the recovery efforts. Federal officials are optimistic about managing the responses to both Hurricanes Milton and Helene but are wary of potential funding shortages if additional storms develop before the hurricane season ends in November.
Residents returning from evacuation faced slow journeys on congested highways, exhausted from their travels and the daunting cleanup tasks awaiting them but relieved to return safely.