Florida hurricane evacuation/ Hurricane Milton impact/ Florida storm damage/ Florida power outages/ hurricane safety advisories/ Newslooks/ FLORIDA/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Floridians returning home after Hurricane Milton are facing long trips, damaged homes, and lingering hazards. Many attribute the increased evacuation turnout to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene just weeks before, which underscored the need to heed warnings.
Floridians Evacuate, Return After Hurricane Milton Quick Looks
- Evacuation Compliance: Hurricane Helene’s recent impact motivated more residents to evacuate for Milton.
- Storm Impact: Milton caused widespread damage, killing at least 10 and leaving millions without power.
- Traffic Delays: Highways were packed as evacuees returned alongside utility vehicles.
- Power Outages: Nearly 2 million homes still lacked power as of Friday night.
- Safety Advisory: Officials warn against hazards like downed power lines and floodwaters.
Floridians Return Home After Hurricane Milton’s Evacuations
Deep Look
Following the devastation of Hurricane Milton, Florida residents are slowly making their way home, enduring packed highways, uncertainty about the condition of their properties, and ongoing safety concerns. This Category 3 storm struck Siesta Key late Wednesday night, leaving its mark across central Florida and causing significant disruption in Tampa Bay and nearby areas.
For Fred Neuman, a resident of Siesta Key, evacuating wasn’t a decision he took lightly, but after seeing the damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene just two weeks prior, he knew he couldn’t take any chances. “I love my house, but I’m not dying in it,” Neuman remarked at a rest stop outside Tampa. He and his wife evacuated nearly 500 miles to Destin on the Florida Panhandle, and while the hurricane tore apart their carport and damaged parts of their home, they were grateful to be safe.
Nearby, Lee and Pamela Essenburm shared their own relief while waiting in the rest area’s crowded lot. Residents of Palmetto near Tampa Bay, they too evacuated, fearing Milton might strengthen further. Though Milton caused serious flooding and tornados across central Florida, sparing Tampa the feared storm surge, officials say the disaster could have been far worse if not for high evacuation compliance.
Craig Fugate, former FEMA administrator, attributes the increased evacuations to the visible destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, which provided a “stark reminder” of the potential danger. That reality was evident in places like Punta Gorda, where Mayor Lynne Matthews reported only three rescue missions after Milton, compared with 121 following Helene.
Along Interstate 75, the slow-moving line of evacuees on Friday included utility crews heading south toward Tampa, a densely populated area that accounted for a quarter of the remaining outages. According to poweroutage.us, nearly 2 million residents still lacked power by Friday night, with boil-water advisories in place for areas like St. Petersburg. Officials warned residents not to rush home without caution, as hazards like downed power lines and unseen debris under floodwaters posed serious risks. “We’re in a period where preventable fatalities happen,” said Governor Ron DeSantis, urging residents to stay vigilant.
In the flooded neighborhood of Palm Harbor, Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies used high-water vehicles to shuttle residents like Madeleine Jiron and her husband back to their homes. After evacuating to Tallahassee, Jiron returned to assess potential storm damage, her dog, Harry Potter, in tow. “We don’t know what type of damage we have,” she said, anxious to see the impact on their home.
As Floridians continue their return, the full extent of Milton’s destruction remains to be seen. However, officials hope that the swift evacuation response will help reduce casualties and allow recovery efforts to move forward more effectively.
