Officials in Florida, USA, reported that the death toll from Hurricane Milton increased to 16. In addition, more than two million homes and businesses are still without power, and some areas along the path of the massive storm that swept across the state remain flooded.
– There are places where the water level continues to rise – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned on Friday. He added that although the threat of Hurricane Milton was significant and its impact was very strong, “fortunately, the worst-case scenario did not come true.”
Hurricane Milton. Millions of Americans without electricity, flooded streets, destroyed homes
According to AFP, during the briefing at the White House, the president United States Joe Biden said experts estimate the cost of Milton's damage at 50 billion dollars.
“The federal response to the massive storm – and to Hurricane Helene, which just two weeks earlier devastated parts of the southeastern United States – has become increasingly politically important. Biden announced that he will visit Florida on Sunday,” the press release added.
What's more, Joe Biden called on Congress to increase efforts to support small businesses in particular that were impacted by Hurricane Milton.
On Siesta Key, the disaster left a devastated landscape in its wake. Some streets are still flooded and the roads look like garbage dumps. They are covered with fallen trees and debris, as well as furniture and household appliances – many of them were scattered on the roadsides by Hurricane Helene.
Hurricane Milton hit the USA. Dramatic landscape in Florida
John Maloney, 61, admitted that the current situation is simply terrible, but added: “I think we will rebuild again.” 67-year-old Mark Horner said in a similar tone in an interview with AFP he said that “paradise will return”.
However, many people cannot recover from another hurricane that recently hit Florida. “It's not easy to think you have everything and suddenly you have nothing,” said a Tampa Bay resident whose home was flooded by the flood waters brought by the element. In turn, a 58-year-old resident of Orlando, who evacuated to a hotel, said that “he'll probably sell his house”. He added that another hurricane hitting so quickly was too much for him and his family.
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