Hurricane Milton kills 16 in Florida as 2.1 million homes and businesses lack electricity

The aftermath of Hurricane Milton has left at least 16 dead in Florida, officials confirmed Friday, as more than two million households and businesses remain without power. Floodwaters continue to rise in some areas, while residents begin the challenging process of recovery from one of the most severe storms to hit the state this year.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that although Hurricane Milton did not reach the worst-case scenario, the situation remains dire in several regions. “There’s places where water is continuing to rise,” DeSantis said during a Friday update.

Nearly 2.1 million homes and businesses remain without electricity, with some neighborhoods still submerged days after the storm made landfall. In the coastal town of Siesta Key near Sarasota, debris from both Milton and Hurricane Helene, which struck just two weeks earlier, litters the streets. “It’s just terrible,” said John Maloney, 61, a local business owner, as he cleared tree limbs from properties. “But I think we’ll rebuild again.”

Many of Milton’s fatalities were caused by tornadoes that spun off from the storm. In Fort Pierce, on the Atlantic coast, a tornado claimed the lives of four people. Susan Stepp, a 70-year-old resident, expressed regret over the loss of life in her community: “I wish they would have evacuated.”

U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the hurricane’s devastation in a White House briefing on Friday, estimating the storm’s total damage at $50 billion. The federal response to both Milton and Hurricane Helene has become a point of political contention, with Biden urging Congress to increase funding, particularly for small businesses in the hardest-hit regions.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has fueled controversy by falsely claiming that federal disaster funds were redirected toward migrant aid, a statement that has drawn criticism, even from some within his own party. When asked about the former president’s comments, Biden responded bluntly, “No… but he has the biggest mouth.”

The president announced plans to visit Florida on Sunday to assess the damage and meet with local officials.