Hurricane Milton updates: 16 dead across Florida in storm's aftermath

Milton forced millions to evacuate and left widespread destruction.

ByKevin Shalvey, Emily Shapiro, David Brennan, Julia Reinstein, Leah Sarnoff, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 11, 2024, 11:28 PM EDT

At least 16 people have died from Hurricane Milton, which roared onshore on Florida's west coast as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing tornadoes, powerful winds and flooding rains. The monster storm forced millions to evacuate and left widespread destruction across Florida.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Oct 09, 2024, 9:09 AM EDT

Milton could be 'like nothing they have ever seen before': FEMA administrator

Milton could be "like nothing they have seen before," FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell warned on ABC News' "Good Morning America."

"While you can ride out a storm and hide from the wind, you need to move away from the water," she said.

"The water is what kills people," Criswell said. "Nobody has to die from this storm. They just need to move out of the evacuation zone area into a place that is going to be safe from the storm surge."

Highway signage announces the impending arrival of Hurricane Milton and the evacuations zones, Oct. 8, 2024, in Port Richey, Fla.
Mike Carlson/AP

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Oct 09, 2024, 8:27 AM EDT

Over a dozen counties issue mandatory evacuation orders

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in parts of over a dozen Florida counties: Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Flagler, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, St. Johns and Volusia.

Salvage workers remove debris from Hurricane Helene flooding along the Gulf of Mexico before Milton arrives, Clearwater Beach, Fla., Oct. 7, 2024.
Chris O'Meara/AP

"If you live in a storm surge evacuation zone and you're asked to leave by your local officials, please do that," Michael Brennan, the director of NOAA's National Hurricane Center, told ABC News Live on Sunday. "You don't have to drive hundreds of miles to get to a safe place, often just tens of miles to get inland, out of that evacuation zone, to a shelter, a friend or loved one's home."

Brennan also urged Floridians to prepare a disaster kit with several days’ worth of nonperishable food, water, medicine and batteries.

A resident boards up his windows ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected mid-week landfall, in Palm Harbor, Fla., Oct. 6, 2024.
Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images

Oct 09, 2024, 8:02 AM EDT

Biden offers Florida officials assistance ahead of Milton landfall

President Joe Biden spoke to local officials from Clearwater and Pinellas County, Florida, Tuesday night to talk about the "ongoing preparations for Hurricane Milton," the White House said.

People board up businesses as Hurricane Milton approaches Fort Myers, Florida, on Oct. 8, 2024.
Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters

The president told Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector and Pinellas County Chairwoman Kathleen Peters "to call him directly if they need additional assistance on response and recovery efforts," the White House added.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

Oct 09, 2024, 6:50 AM EDT

Tampa approaching '11th hour,' sheriff says as Milton approaches

"We're approaching that 11th hour," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said Wednesday as the Tampa Bay area prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

"My message is simple," Chronister said in a video posted to the department's X page. "If you need to get someplace safe for whatever reason, the time to do so is now."

A street sign reading "All Cruise Ships Delayed Due To Storm" is displayed before the arrival of Hurricane Milton in Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 8, 2024.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

"If you need to get to a shelter, do so immediately," the department wrote alongside the video.

The wider Tampa area is projected to experience storm surge of up to 15 feet and wind gusts of over 100 mph when Milton makes landfall on Wednesday night.

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