US officials release preliminary damage after Hurricane Milton hits Florida
Oct 10, 2024
Florida [US], October 10: Officials in Martin County, Florida, say several people were injured and dozens of homes were damaged as Hurricane Milton hit the state.
The Martin County Fire Department says several homes have been "severely" damaged by Milton . There have been serious and minor injuries reported, but no deaths have been reported at this time, according to CNN.
NBC News later reported that there were confirmed deaths in St. Lucie County, where officials said the tornado touched down.
A hotel parking lot in Punta Gorda, Florida, was flooded and cars were partially submerged as rain continued to fall. Several buildings in the city were also flooded, according to CNN.
NBC News cited data from Poweroutage.us saying that more than 1.6 million customers were without power in Florida at around 10:30 p.m. on October 9 (US time).
Martin County officials urged residents to continue to stay off the roads. The Martin County Sheriff's Office also implemented a countywide curfew from 9 p.m. on October 9 to 6 a.m. on October 10 "due to significant damage from multiple tornadoes in Martin County, as well as worsening weather conditions expected overnight," according to CNN.
Martin County is located in southeastern Florida, near St. Lucie County, where "multiple fatalities" occurred from a tornado outbreak earlier in the day.
Additionally, a second flash flood emergency has been declared for the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Riverview and Palmetto.
The new flash flood emergency lasts until 4 a.m. Oct. 10 and includes Lakeland, Winter Haven and Wesley Chapel.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
