While many Floridians have evacuated for safety purposes, a vast majority is still left behind facing the Hurricane Milton. Due to the severity of the storm, power outages are frequents and death toll is increasing. Both physically and mentally it is a challenging time for the citizens of Florida. Below we have compiled 43 pictures of Floridians dealing the aftermath with resilience and determination.
1. Hurricane Milton Has Reached Florida As A Category 3 Storm.
Milton is expected to cause cause $50bn in insured losses. The citizens’ properties and businesses have taken a huge blow due to the severity of the hurricane. There is still a lot of ongoing chaos in the region as many people remain displaced. Different areas have reported record breaking rainfall and other events. The local government is working hard to help the people as much as possible.
2. Homes and other properties in ruins.
There are several drone shots of innumerable homes and buildings left behind vacated and damaged. However, Floridians are quite resilient and are hopeful that they can rebuild their homes. One such citizen shared that the annual storm cycles are just a little price that they have to pay to live in a paradise like Florida.
3. People waiting in long lines for fuel.
Earlier it was reported that there are long lines of vehicles in St. Petersburgh waiting for fuel. Due to the delay the situation has become worse as people remain stranded in their cars for hours. As per Gov. Ron DeSantis, the state has opened three fuel distribution sites and there are further plans of opening more to facilitate the people. Considering the current situation the residents will be offered 10 gallons (37.8 liters) each, without being charged.
4. Floridians seen risking their lives while making way through flooded streets.
A young man was pictured in the streets of the Southeast Seminole Heights section of Tampa trying to walk in knee-deep water with vehicles scattered all around him. This reflects the desperate state of the citizens of Florida who are trying their level best to survive the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
5. Utility poles falling down due to strong gusts of winds.
As the winds are blowing with an intense pressure, utility poles have been pictured falling down in different areas of Florida. In one such picture, a Floridan posed with a falling utility pole and destroyed house near Fort Pierce in St. Lucie County, Florida, on October 10, 2024.
The falling of utility poles is one of the contributing factors for the widespread power outages.
6. A distraught mother pictured with teary eyes.
A single mother and her 4 children were rescued in Lakeland by WFLA-TV news crew. Previously she was under the impression that her residence did not require immediate evacuation. However, this didn’t prove to be true. She reported that her family is now homeless with nothing left to their name other than wet clothes. Her car was also submerged under water.
7. Satellite pictures showing drastic changes in Florida coastline.
Hurricanes have been affecting Florida frequently, however, Milton caused a lot more damage than the previous ones. And the intensity of this damage has been portrayed by the satellite pictures. These photographs have shown the before and after of different areas of Florida.
8. Floridians going through the rubbles of homes.
Numerous media outlets have interviewed citizens while they struggled to go through their remaining belongings. One such man was photographed while raising a flag as it was the only thing that remained intact within the rubble. This was reported from Spanish Lakes Country Club Village.
9. An aerial view of damaged Albert Whitted Airport.
The Hurricane Milton even affected the Albert Whitted Airport, leaving behind debris and a lot of damage. This was reported from St. Petersburg, Florida. The picture showed the surroundings being littered by damaged roof tops, planes, and other materials.
10. Horrific landscape scenes photographed.
In some areas the destruction is quite extreme. Drone shots of these areas have shown completely wiped out neighborhoods and innumerable uprooted trees. The survivors from these areas recalled their terrific experiences and how they could feel the intensity of the Hurricane Milton.
11. Floridians bringing out boats on streets.
In order to get out of their homes and reach safe places, the people are left with no other options than commuting via boats. This is also a safe way because it reduces contact with stagnant water. Many floatable boats have been photographed in different areas of Florida.
12. Trees scattered all over Florida.
Milton’s extremely intense winds have knocked over countless trees. As a result these bulky trees have either fallen on homes/vehicles or on streets blocking the way. One such case was reported about a tree damaging a citizen’s roof in Bartow, Florida, on Thursday. Luckily, the family members were not present in the living room where the tree fell.
13. A Floridian was seen comforting her pet.
For both humans and animals of Florida, the current situation is quite mentally disturbing. A picture from Port Salerno, Florida, showed a distressed girl trying to calm down her dog as she passed through the ruins of her home.
14. Floridians trying to protect their properties.
In order to keep their belongings safe, the people have taken extreme measures. ‘You Loot We Shoot’ was photographed painted on a house in Florida. In other cases, sign boards like ‘Leave Milton’ were seen. These moments have captured the dire situation of Floridians and their will to survive another destructive hurricane.
15. People revisiting their damaged homes.
From the countless pictures that have been posted about Florida, a good chunk of them are about people getting emotional over their homes being washed away. One such picture was of a Floridian, Marie Cook, who surveyed her home post-hurricane in Wellington, Florida. The toppled trees and damaged cars were a heartbreaking sight for her to observe.
16. Severe damage to public buildings & infrastructure.
A picture of MidFlorida Amphitheater in Tampa showed the damaged roof and field in terrible condition after the Hurricane Milton passed through it. The building’s roof could not withstand the intense pressure of winds and succumbed. In other regions, contractors worked hard to remove garbage and debris from Clearwater Bay in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
17. Residents being evacuated from second-storey apartments.
In some areas, the water has reached unbelievable heights. Hence, the workers had to resort to boats to help the families stuck on top floors. These citizens believed that due to the alleviated floors, they would be safe from the flooding. Unfortunately, this was not the case. This accident was reported from Clearwater, Florida, which was flooded from an overflowing creek.
18. Rescue helicopters photographed over damaged areas.
For a complete survey and as a part of a thorough rescue program, the state has sent out rescue helicopters in severely affected areas in Florida. One such helicopter was pictured in Venice, Florida.
19. Boats piling up after being washed ashore.
A picture sent from Punta Gorda, Florida, on October 10, showed a drone view of boats washed ashore and piling up on a pier after the Hurricane Milton crossed their way. In other cases, the boats have also been transported to unusual areas due to the severity of the hurricane.
20. Citizens still using cars to travel.
In some areas where water hasn’t reached a dangerous height, people have been seen moving around in their cars to reach safer areas. Most of the photographed roads include SUVs or other high clearance vehicles which can withstand the stagnant water. Another picture showed Lee County Sheriff’s Office vehicle trying to make its way through a flooded street in Iona, Florida.
21. Workers pictured in damaged stores.
Even though the current situation is pretty unstable, people are still willing to operate their supermarkets in order to facilitate the people. Sheun, a Floridian, was seen in his damaged store in Lakewood Park, near Fort Pierce, in St. Lucie County, Florida. The place was still stocked with products in a relatively better state.
22. Citizens saving lives of stray animals.
Multiple incidents were reported in which citizens risked their own lives to protect stray animals. In other news, a shelter was successful in relocating all 160 of their shelter dogs to safe homes where the animals could be well protected from the Hurricane Milton. As the shelter had already anticipated the danger, they initiated the process before the hurricane arrived.
23. Life guard stations toppled by the wind speeds.
A citizen was photographed on a beach next to a toppled life guard station in Venice Beach following Hurricane Milton in Venice, Florida, on October 10. Multiple such cases have been officially reported as well.
24. The damaged Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Luckily, no human lives were lost in this unfortunate accident. The Hurricane Milton tore through the Tampa Bay Rays’ home ballpark, leaving behind a devastating scene. The spokesperson from their side acknowledged this sad accident in a statement and urged people to donate toward organizations which are actively working to improve the lives of people affected by the storm.
25. A collapsed construction crane falling and causing more destruction.
Due to the strong winds, a crane fell onto the building and caused damage. This was the Tampa Bay Times building in St Petersburg, Florida. Other than the physical damage, no death toll was officially reported.
26. Rising rivers in streets are becoming a safety threat.
Due to the standing water in streets and other areas, it has become increasingly dangerous for civilians to move around. This situation is worsened by loose power lines. Many officials have released warnings to alert people about the issue. National Weather Service Meteorologist Paul Close have concluded that the situation will stay like this for a while.
27. President Joe Biden to visit the Gulf Coast on Sunday.
As several people have lost their innocent lives due to the third category hurricane, the president has decided to visit and address the situation in person. Reports have stated that the death toll could have been a lot more if the floods were not addressed properly before. The widespread evacuations have saved a lot of lives.
28. Public health officials worried about health of Floridians.
The stagnant water is a danger zone because it is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes further causing malaria. With the health system already overworked, the state can not accommodate any more set backs. Many life-threatening bacterial infections can become a leading cause for deaths in Florida. Citizens need to be extra careful of dengue, Zika, malaria and West Nile virus.
29. People continue to clean public buildings.
Public buildings like hospitals are the base of a state. Thankfully, not much damage has been done to healthcare buildings. Floridians were pictured cleaning the mess caused by previous storm while anticipating Hurricane Milton. Even though the hospitals are well trained with tackling storms-related situations, they are still considering transferring of patients.
30. Sheriff got emotional while rescuing people.
A hardworking sheriff and his team were recorded while being busy with rescuing survivors. There is an increasing concern about the mental health of Floridians. Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputies rescued about 135 elderly people from life-threatening conditions. According to another report, the large Latino community was struck with a lot of financial damage.
31. Floridians with tears in their eyes recall their homes.
The back-to-back calamities have been quite distressing for Florida and its people. Countless people have been captured emotional looking at their homes reduced to debris. Many reporters have gone inside homes and shown devastating scenes of the rising water destroying everything.
People are estimating how long it will take for the Hurricane Milton to get to their homes, and it is truly heartbreaking.
32. Customers forced to shop with limited options.
There are countless pictures of Floridians moving through empty supermarkets in hopes of getting something. Most bread shelves are empty and with little to no products left in other shelves.
33. Heartfelt pictures of Floridians helping out others in need.
Despite the alarming condition, the generosity and kindness of people is still at an all time high. One such recorded instance was of a driver saving an entire family from the Hurricane Milton. As the driver was progressing towards Spanish Lakes community, she noticed that the situation ahead wasn’t great. Disturbed by the scenes she screamed and alerted the family to take shelter. Consequently, the driver ended up saving the family’s lives.
34. The path of tornado’s destruction marked with dilapidated buildings.
Heartbreaking drone shots have shown the aftermath of destructive tornado. The roofs have disappeared into thin air and in other areas the gas pumps have been displaced. The entire situation is quite sad to look at.
35. Debris of gas station concern the people.
The fuel shortage is quite serious in the Tampa areas compared to other places in Florida. Due to people being distressed there have been a lot of fights as well. Even though attempts are being made to deal with the shortage immediately, it will still take time to satisfy everyone’s needs.
36. Fuel depot workers distribute gas to residents.
As the gas stations have been severely affected by the Hurricane Milton, the public service workers have found another way. The fuel depot workers are distributing gas to cars themselves. This is being overlooked by Florida Highway Patrol officers. It might take longer for gas stations to return to their full functionality. Hence, this is the only option Floridians are left with.
37. Biden photographed in Florida, during a tour of areas affected by Milton.
The President has acknowledged the pain that the people of Florida are going through. The premises of the photograph were enough to show the escalated situation. In order to ease the citizens, Biden announced more than half a billion dollars investment for electrical grid resilience. He also thanked the local workers who have tried their best to lessen the impact of Hurricane Milton.
38. Residents’ belongings are seen scattered in areas.
The once prized possessions have now been displaced by the deadly hurricane and tornadoes. These include family pictures, sofas, furniture, and baby toys. Many Floridians were seen mourning over these losses. Citizens are now in hopes of getting some relief from flood insurances. But the current dire situation does not allow this discussion to take place at the moment.
39. Floridians have posted pictures of their homes while being stuck in water.
To show the people the raw experience, many have come forward with photographs of their homes post-destruction. One citizen showed the water reaching his knees while he sat in his living room, while the other showed his water-damaged drywall. Another house was pictured toppled off its stilts, after Milton had passed across.
A bunch of Floridians have also expressed their desires to move out of Florida once the situation calms down.
40. Drone views showing the destruction caused by Hurricane Milton.
In order to show the true picture of the destruction caused by Hurricane Milton, a lot of reporters have posted drone shots of streets filled with knee-deep water, toppled sign boards, home debris, and car parts scattered in different areas. Huge vehicles were spotted lying upside down in the middle of the roads.
41. Floridians rushing to shelters in desperate conditions.
The State had prepared well enough for people to at least be safe in specific shelters which were well stocked with daily necessities and other emergency needs. Hence, people in large numbers retreated to shelters to save their lives as the situation became more worse. These shelters include local churches, schools, and other public buildings.
42. Brilliant sky pictures have been reported from Fort Myers.
After the passage of Hurricane Milton, the destruction was quite unpleasant to look at. However, the sky views were beautiful enough to please the distressed citizens of Florida. A lot of people from Fort Myers photographed the wonderful purplish skies and posted about it online captioning the pictures with heartfelt words.
On the other hand, in Sarasota, Florida, the sky lit up because the electrical installation was severely damaged.
43. A Floridian distressed after seeing affected family members.
Several citizens were photographed calming their loved ones who were suffering due to the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. One such picture was of a mother calming down her distressed child who was worried about her injured grandfather. Thankfully, he was being taken away to be treated by healthcare officials.
Well, those were just 43 pictures reflecting the current grave situation of Florida. Stay tuned for more such Hurricane Milton related news.
