significant damage already noted in Florida

The phenomenon, now downgraded to category 1 (on a scale of 5), remains considered “major” by the American Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida. He arrived “near Siesta Key, Sarasota County”wrote the American Hurricane Center (NHC), Wednesday October 9 in its bulletin at 8:30 p.m. (i.e. 2:30 a.m. Paris time).

Franceinfo draws up an initial assessment of the damage caused by this hurricane, classified category 5 (the most powerful), which was downgraded to category 3 just before arriving in Florida, then to category 1 after a few hours.

At least 2.5 million homes without electricity

According to the specialist site Poweroutage.us, more than 2.5 million homes were deprived of power during the night from Wednesday to Thursday. Neighborhoods were plunged into darkness, like here in Punta Gorda, according to images from this storm and hurricane chaser.

Flooded areas

Unsurprisingly, water rose everywhere, flooding streets and neighborhoods in several cities.

This video from a journalist from this channel specializing in weather news gives an idea of ​​the intensity of the rain that fell.

According to records, 46.5 cm fell in Saint Petersburg, 37 cm in McKay Creek and 25.58 cm in Clearwater Beach, CNN reported.

The roof of a destroyed stadium

In St. Petersburg, on the west coast of Florida, Tropicana Field, nicknamed “The Trop”, saw its roof destroyed. The canvas which covers this arena which can accommodate some 42,000 people has flown away. Gusts reaching 165 km/h were recorded in the evening.

Milton “is going to be a deadly and catastrophic storm”warned Deanne Criswell, director of the federal natural disaster response agency (Fema), on Wednesday. For the moment, the authorities have not yet provided an assessment of possible victims.