Multiple Deaths in Florida Due to Hurricane Milton: Storm Weakens to Category Two but Remains Dangerous

st.lucie county - Several deaths have occurred following a tornado in St. Lucie County in Florida. Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida with wind gusts of 190 kilometers per hour, leaving over a million people without power.

Several deaths have been reported after a tornado hit St. Lucie County in southeastern Florida, according to the local news station WPTV. The sheriff of the region, Keith Pearson, confirmed the fatalities, though the exact number is unknown.

Hurricane Milton reached Florida around 02:30 am, tearing through the state with wind gusts of 190 kilometers per hour. Governor Ron DeSantis mentioned during a press conference that there have been 19 tornadoes and 116 tornado warnings issued. More than a million people are currently without power in Florida, as reported by PowerOutage.

Hurricane Milton has now weakened to a category two storm, with maximum wind speeds decreasing from 190 to 175 kilometers per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center in the United States. Despite the downgrade, the storm remains dangerous, prompting multiple cities in Florida to issue flood warnings. Over 1.5 million people are without power, as per PowerOutage.

The animals at Tampa's zoo will not be evacuated, despite being in a mandatory evacuation zone with Milton approaching, stated Tiffany Burns, the director of animal programs. She mentioned, "Nothing fazes them."

Animal caretakers gathered all the animals on Tuesday and equipped the zoo with generators, extra food, and supplies for the animals. Burns stated, "Each species responds differently to major storms." Some orangutans hide under blankets, while owls and armadillos seek shelter in crates. A dozen animal caretakers, including a veterinarian and maintenance staff, will remain at the zoo during the storm.