(The Center Square) – More than 12,000 miles of state roads are cleared, nearly 2,000 areas on bridges have been inspected and 1,600 people and 140 pets have been rescued following Hurricane Milton’s hit in Florida.
Reports say 16 people have died from the storm, the third to hit Florida this year. Teams have made more than 1,000 water rescues.
Debby made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Steinhatchee on Aug. 5, Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Dekle Beach on Sept. 26, and Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key on Wednesday night.
“Please exercise caution,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis from St. Petersburg on Friday, where more than 18 inches of rain in 24 hours qualified as a 1-in-1,000 years flood.
Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie and Maj. Gen. John D. Haas, adjutant general of Florida, were alongside the governor as they updated efforts after Milton.
The storm’s damage and the estimated three dozen tornadoes in St. Lucie County led to several deaths due to the destructive force of high winds and significant flash flooding.
“What we’re seeing now are fatalities that are preventable,” DeSantis said, saying fatalities are happening due to interaction with downed power lines and water. “We are in the position where everything is stabilized, and you need to make the proper decisions and just know that there are still some hazards out there.”
The governor stressed the importance of staying out of the flood waters, the safety of using ladders, and the proper operation of generators, adding that they should not be used inside.
Damage from the three hurricanes in 66 days is well into the billions of dollars.
About 2.2 million homes and businesses were still without power across the state Friday afternoon.
DeSantis said the storm weakened enough before landfall to minimize the worst-case storm surge, saying that doesn’t mean there is not a lot of damage, but they have an abundance of resources because of preparation.
He said removing debris from Helene before Milton made landfall also mitigated some of the damages.
In a separate press release, the governor said they are working with FEMA to incentivize more trucks for 24/7 cleanup across the state so Floridians can get through the debris.
Several airports and schools across the state reopened Friday.
The state has volunteer organizations on standby and can be reached by those in the affected areas through 833-Get-Hope to connect them to the needed resources, either food or debris cleanup.