Hurricane Milton live updates: 16 dead as Florida power outages and flooding persist (2025)

Biden to travel to Florida on Sunday

Gabriella Rudy

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tampa didn't see "the worst case, or really any case" of storm surge in the Tampa Bay area.

In a press conference today, he said that in addition to over 6,500 active Florida National Guard members, 23 urban search and rescue teams with over 1,600 people and 10 swift water teams have been deployed to assist with rescues. Over 1,600 individuals and over 140 animals have been rescued so far.

Nineteen school districts that were closed yesterday have reopened today. There are at least seven other school districtsopening on Monday, according to the governor.

He added that 1.6 million power accounts have been restored, while 2.4 million are outstanding, as of 9 a.m.

"Even where the storm made landfall, like Sarasota, there wasn’t as much damage to the power infrastructure," DeSantis said.

Tampa International Airport posted video today of its first flight since closing in anticipation of Hurricane Milton.

The Florida National Guard has assisted in the rescue of 330 people and 39 animals since the start of Hurricane Milton response operations, according to a FLNG press release.

In their 180 missions, they've cleared 1,304 miles of routes and 249 cubic yards of debris, the release said.

The FLNG has activated over 6,500 soldiers and airmen, including emergency management assistance compact units, in support of Hurricane Milton response efforts following Gov. Ron DeSantis' authorization.

A girl was born in a Pinellas County shelter, according to a Pinellas County media briefing this morning.

The shelter's staff helped with the delivery, said Pinellas County Director of Emergency Management Cathie Perkins.

"Just beautiful to see that new life in the middle of all this destruction," she said.

The American Athletic Conference announced that tomorrow's football game between South Florida and Memphis has been moved from Tampa to Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

The University of South Florida said in a statement that the game was moved in the interest of public safety and with respect for the response and recovery efforts underway in the Tampa Bay area following Hurricane Milton. They added that various logistical challenges related to the storm that affected both schools also contributed to the decision.

All USF campuses are closed until at least tomorrow, and classes have been canceled until then. The school says they will make a decision about resuming normal class schedules Monday after they further assess each campus and conditions around the Tampa Bay region.

Disaster relief organizations like the Salvation Army are working to deliver emergency supplies to people who need them in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. NBC News’ Joe Fryer spoke with the director for the Salvation Army’s southern territory, Jeff Jellets, who described the relief effort as a “historic operation.”

Reporting from SARASOTA, Florida

SARASOTA, Fla. — The sun was shining again yesterday in the city that had been directly in the path ofHurricane Milton,and when survivors emerged from their hiding places, many were pleasantly surprised to find the damage wasn’t as bad as they had feared.

Most restaurants and grocery stores in Sarasota were shuttered, a fewwrecked cars and truckswere strewn about like toys, some traffic lights were working while others were completely gone, and dozens of palm trees were snapped like twigs or reduced to splinters.

Famous cultural destinations such as the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and the Sarasota Opera House remained closed, and so were many of the roads leading into this city of 55,000 — not that there was much traffic.

Read the full article here.

The family of a woman killed in a tornado outbreak in Lucie County on Florida's east coast Wednesday, brought on by Milton, are paying tribute to her as "the best mother anyone could ask for."

Deborah Kennedy, 66, was among at least six killed by a string of tornadoes across Treasure Coast and Palm Beach. Kennedy was inside the hard-hit Spanish Lakes Country Club retirement community.

"I would like the world knowing what an amazing person my mother was, that she was the best mother anybody could ask for," Kennedy's daughter told NBC affiliate WPTV of West Palm Beach.

Reporting from DAYTONA BEACH, Florida

At least 16 people are dead after Hurricane Milton tore across the central part of Florida and more than 2 million people are without power. NBC News’ Chase Cain reports from Daytona Beach on the aftermath caused by Milton.

Reporting from FORT MYERS, Florida

After taking a direct hit from powerful and destructive Hurricane Milton, officials have reopened access to the barrier islands. Reporting from Fort Myers, NBC’s Sam Brock tours the extensive damage for "TODAY."

Sheriff's deputies used rafts, boats and amphibious vehicles to rescue 135 people from an assisted living home in Hillsborough County yesterday.

“This is extraordinary to see this type of flooding, especially in this type of area,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a video on Facebook.

The rescue at Great American Assisted Living Community, in the University Square district of Tampa, took place before 10 a.m. yesterday.

Reporting from TAMPA, Florida

Communities in Florida are struggling to recover in the wake of Hurricane Milton, as millions of homes and businesses are still left without power. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports for "TODAY."

After the turmoil of Milton, the U.S. Coast Guard said it was reopening ports across the southeastern United States today — but stressed that mariners should still be cautious.

In Florida,Key West, Port Everglades, Port Miami and the Miami River post have been reopened.

In Georgia,Brunswick and Savannahare now open, while in South Carolina, Charleston and Georgetown have also reopened.

Several ports are still closed across Florida, as emergency services assess the damage. These include: St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, Port of Palm Beach, Fort Pierce, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville and Fernandina.

The Coast Guard added: "Stay off the water and out of the way of rescue crews unless you are playing a critical role in the response. This is not a time for disaster sightseeing."

There is at least some good news for communities rebuilding after the double shock of Helene and Milton: there will be no more rain, at least not for the next week.

The National Weather Service office in Tampa Bay said this morning that the next seven days looked dry, with temperatures in the 60s, normal for this time of year.

A man has been killed in Orange County, Florida, by a power line that came down during Hurricane Milton, police said in a statement this morning.

Officers were called to Pine Island Place on Pine Island at 4:53 p.m. yesterday, after receiving a report of an unresponsive man.

"When they arrived, they found a man in his 60s who was deceased in his yard.It appears the man stepped on a downed power line while cleaning debris from the storm," Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

The unidentified man becomes the 16th person known to have been killed during Milton and its aftermath.

Pluto holding a girlin his paws while trekking through a flooded Disney World. Godzillacryingwhile cradling a giant bug in a flooded city street. Asmall girl in a lifejacketseated on a boat next to a green alien baby.

Absurd and comical rescue images that appear to have been made with artificial intelligence have sprung up on social media this week as Hurricane Milton hit Florida, a reaction to the earlier proliferation of more realistic fake images related to Hurricane Helene.

Read the full article here.

The U.S. Coast Guard carried out the remarkable rescue yesterday of a man left holding on to a cooler overnight in the Gulf of Mexico during Hurricane Milton.

The unidentified man was on board a fishing boat that got into trouble Wednesday off Madeira Beach, Florida, the Coast Guard said. He radioed for help but contact was lost at about 6:45 p.m.

He was found yesterday about 30 miles from Longboat Key clinging on to a cooler chest — video shared by the Coast Guard shows the moment he was rescued by a diver lowered by a helicopter.

"This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner," Coast Guard official Dana Grady said in a statement.

The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment, but his status is not known.

Tampa Police confirmed that a woman died from a falling tree branch yesterday.

That brings the total number of people known to have died as a result of Hurricane Milton to 15.

Police said in a statement that officers responded to Nebraska Avenue, Tampa, after 11 a.m. yesterday after a report of a large branch collapsing.

"Upon arrival, officers located an adult female in her early 70s underneath the branch. The woman was pronounced deceased at the scene," the statement said.

The statement added that according to preliminary investigations, the unidentified woman died while "post-hurricane restoration efforts were being done on the property," adding that the death appeared to be accidental.

“Although the storm has passed, its devastation has tragically taken the life of one of our community members," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said. "Our thoughts are with the family as they grieve their loved one."

Tampa Bay may have dodged the worst-case scenario when the path of Hurricane Milton swerved away from it and instead slammed into Sarasota County near Siesta Key.

But the historic levels rainfall — 12 inches in Tampa, more than five times the normal level for all of October, and up to 18 inches in St. Pete — is causing huge problems, including areas that weren't in the evacuation zones.

"We’re talking a foot and a half of rainfall, and now that is what is leading to those lower-lying areas where you hear people say, 'Well we don’t normally flood. We’re not in an evacuation zone,'" Max Defender 8 Meteorologist Amanda Holly with NBC affiliate WFLA of Tampa said.

"Well, when you get 18 inches of rain over a big area, yeah, you will see abnormally high water levels get into areas that don’t normally flood."

It is already the wettest year on record for Tampa, Holly added.

Hurricane Milton could result in losses of up to $100 billion for the global insurance industry, creating a surge in 2025 reinsurance prices that could boost some insurance companies’ shares, analysts said Wednesday.

Millions of people across Florida are picking up the pieces after a second devastating hurricane, and Pinellas County is warning people not to also become victims of scammers.

Pinellas County Consumer Protection told residents last night to be cautious of companies and individuals offering repair services, to always research contractors and to never pay for the full job in advance.

"Beware of any contractor who tells you that extensive or structural repairs do not require a permit. The contractor should pull the required building permits, not the homeowner," the advice said.

State-certified contractors can be searched on an online database of vehicle license plates.

See the full advice here.

Reporting from PUNTA GORDA, Florida

The Drew family returned to its Punta Gorda home for the first time since the destruction of Hurricane Milton. NBC News’ Dana Griffin talks to the family members about the impact of the storm on their home.

Reporting from Fort Pierce, Fla.

Trenton Knepp, whose home flooded during Hurricane Helene, talked to NBC News’ Tom Llamas about riding out Hurricane Milton in his Sarasota County home and reeling from the aftermath.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office captured the dramatic moment yesterday when Sheriff Chad Chronister and his team rescued a 14-year-old boy who was just about floating on a submerged wooden fence in deep floodwaters.

More than 24 hours after Hurricane Milton made landfall, more than 2.5 million energy customers are still without power, according to PowerOutage.us.

Many face the prospect of days if not weeks in the dark, although state and federal workers were deployed even before the storm hit to get networks up and running.

Reporting from TAMPA, Florida

TAMPA, Fla. — 54-year-old Joseph Malinowski, who has been dubbed “Lieutenant Dan” on social media, has survived record-breaking Hurricane Milton on his 20-foot sailboat.

Malinowski, who drewnationwide interest and concernover his highly publicized decision to ride out Hurricanes Helene and Milton on his vessel, chose to remain in the boat here despite several attempts from officials to safely evacuate him. Followers offered Malinowski shelter — both in nearby hotels and in their own homes — which he turned down.

Read the full story here.

It was 4 a.m. ET Wednesday when Kenzie Lewellen’s labor began at her home in Port Charlotte, Florida, withHurricane Miltonhurtling toward the Gulf Coast.

Lewellen and her boyfriend, Dewey Bennett, 24, were both on edge.

Milton hadn’t hit yet, but the couple’s house was already taking in water before Lewellen’s contractions began.

Lewellen, a first-time mom, was 39 weeks pregnant, and the couple knew that if she “didn’t start having contractions until during the storm the roads would have been flooded and we were going to have a tough time getting” to the hospital, Bennett said.

Read the full story here.

Baseless conspiracy theories about weather modification and false claims about disaster relief efforts have continued to spread on X in recent days, with misinformation about Hurricane Milton adding to a mountain of false rumors about Hurricane Helene and its aftermath.

The spread has sparked a push from local and federal officials, along with some politicians, who have decried the spread of misinformation and outlandish claims about the origins of the storms.

But that has done little to quell some of the loudest voices.

Read the full story here.

Reporting from Fort Pierce, Fla.

Florida resident Roy Schultheis talks to NBC News’ Tom Llamas about the damage that Hurricane Milton caused to his Palm Beach Gardens home.