2.2 million without power in wake of Milton

Millions of Floridians remained without power Friday morning after Hurricane Milton plowed its way out of the state and into the Atlantic Ocean.

The devastating storm, which hit Florida at Category 3 strength, left at least 14 people dead after tearing a path of destruction across the state’s western coast upon making landfall late Wednesday. In its aftermath, neighborhoods were flooded, homes destroyed, the roof of Tropicana Field torn off and a crane had toppled into an office building.

Despite the destruction, Gov. Ron DeSantis noted Milton was not as severe as he and other officials had feared.

“The storm was significant, but thankfully this was not the worst-case scenario,” DeSantis said at a briefing Thursday. He cited the storm weakening before landfall and said the storm surge “as initially reported has not been as significant overall as what was observed for Hurricane Helene.”