Hurricane Milton brought several tornadoes, sustained 100-mile-per-hour winds, and about 17 inches of rain to the hardest hit areas in Florida as it made landfall as a category 3 storm last night. Milton, which is responsible for at least 10 deaths, is now rated as a post-tropical cyclone by the National Hurricane Center as it makes its way eastbound in the Atlantic Ocean away from Florida’s coast.
Initial reports show severe flooding in Tampa and structural damage to residential and commercial buildings, including the roof of the Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium, Tropicana Field. Scenes from the Tampa area show boats washed ashore, cars tossed upside down, and furniture afloat in the flood waters. About 3.2 million customers are without power in the affected region, according to Poweroutage.us.
Despite the damage, according to a statement from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the storm’s impact was not “the worst-case scenario.” The Miami Herald reported less impact from Milton compared to Helene in some neighborhoods and noted that stacked, destroyed furniture in parts of St. Petersburg, that were feared to become deadly projectiles, largely remained in place.
Still, state and federal officials have urged residents to be careful and remain vigilant during the clean-up process as downed power lines, debris, and unsafe roads can present serious hazards.
Emergency Response Continues
Direct Relief’s CEO Thomas Tighe and other staff arrived in Florida ahead of the storm to coordinate and deliver requested aid to safety net clinics and first responders. One of the clinics, Wildflower Healthcare, serves about 60 patients per day at no cost to the patients in St. Augustine, Florida.
The clinic, like many safety net clinics in the U.S., runs several outreach programs in their community, including initiatives focused on providing support to unhoused populations, the elderly, and a mobile clinic for those who face barriers to accessing care at the clinic’s location.
Executive Director Michelle Colee said a main concern ahead of the storm was losing power, which happens frequently during the increasingly common severe weather events in the area. Wildflower Healthcare received a field medic pack before the storm and several personal care kits with hygiene items for displaced people.
Yesterday, Direct Relief staff delivered field medic packs and personal care kits to an emergency evacuation center in St. John’s County. Mandatory evacuation orders affected about 22,000 people in the county, which includes St Augustine. County first responders received backpacks to support the local emergency operations center. Additional field medic packs and personal care kits were requested by the county sheriff and will be delivered today.
Direct Relief’s hurricane program prepositions Hurricane Prep Packs in at-risk areas throughout the U.S. and Caribbean providing safety-net clinics with the ability to care for hundreds of their patients in the days after a storm should their medicine and supplies be damaged or if supply chains are impacted. The organization has learned that several health clinics have opened their packs and are using medications and supplies to backfill their inventory.
In response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Direct Relief has made available $78M in medicines and medical supplies, and $350,000 in financial assistance to community health centers, free clinics, and other healthcare providers. The organization will continue to respond as more needs become known.
