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The Point, Oct. 10, 2024: Hurricane Milton sweeps through Florida

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Hurricane Milton's landfall and impacts

• WUFT News: Hurricane Milton live updates. Our team published a running list of updates Wednesday and into this morning about the storm's arrival and impacts.

A Lee County Sheriff's deputy patrols the streets of Cape Coral, Fla., as heavy rain falls ahead of Hurricane Milton, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Marta Lavandier/AP
/
AP
A Lee County Sheriff's deputy patrols the streets of Cape Coral, Fla., as heavy rain falls ahead of Hurricane Milton on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

• Associated Press: More than 3 million without power as Hurricane Milton slams Florida, causes deaths and flooding. "The storm tracked to the south in the final hours and made landfall in Siesta Key near Sarasota, about 70 miles south of Tampa. The situation in the Tampa area was still a major emergency as St. Petersburg recorded over 16 inches of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of flash flooding."

• NPR News: Climate change made Helene more dangerous. It also makes similar storms more likely. "Those are the findings of a study released Wednesday by researchers with World Weather Attribution, an international network of scientists who conduct rapid studies to assess the impact of climate change on major weather events."

• WUFT News: Eastern Hernando County faces major flooding threats. "Hurricane Milton hit Florida’s west coast Wednesday night with winds of up to 125 miles per hour. The rainfall from the hurricane was expected to cause the Withlacoochee River to rise to about 16 feet in the Trilby area in northeast Pasco County and 10.9 feet in Croom near Brooksville."

• WUFT News: Hurricane Milton evacuees rush to Gainesville hotels. "Gainesville, situated far enough inland to be considered a safer option, has seen its hotels reach full capacity as residents from high-risk areas flock to the area. The sudden surge has left hoteliers scrambling to accommodate everyone while managing the challenges that come with a packed house."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: Hurricane Milton evacuees are taking refuge in Walmart parking lots. "Dozens of Hurricane Milton evacuees are camping out in the parking lot of the Walmart off Mahan Drive in Tallahassee. The families have traveled, mostly from Tampa, to the Capital City to escape what forecasters believe will be one of the strongest storms to hit Southwest Florida in decades."

• WUSF-Tampa: Hurricane Milton shreds Tropicana Field's roof and topples a crane in St. Petersburg. "The 120-mph winds ripped the fabric roof to pieces at the Rays' stadium. Blocks away, a crane fell at a high-rise construction site. No injuries were reported."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: Federal judge denies groups' motion to extend voter registration in Florida. "The League of Women Voters of Florida and the Florida chapter of the NAACP brought the motion. They argued the deadline should be extended due to the damage and disruptions posed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. But U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle said it was still possible for people to use smartphones to register even as they evacuated."

• Fresh Take Florida: Tampa man refusing to leave sailboat in Hurricane Milton once arrested over claim he tried to set woman on fire. "(Joseph) Malinowski made international headlines with appearances this week on CNN and a televised conversation with Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel. He said in a new interview Wednesday he was adamant he would survive Hurricane Milton aboard his sailboat. During the same interview, he paused to speak to city officials who insisted he go to a storm shelter on land."


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From NPR News

• National: How FEMA tries to combat rumors and conspiracy theories about Milton and Helene

• Politics: How could hurricanes impact the election? What we can learn from 5 recent storms

• Politics: Polls suggest Republicans are making gains among Black voters — especially Black men

• Politics: Many people in jail have the right to vote. So do many felons

• Planet Money: Half a billion people need reading glasses. Why can't they get them?

• Photography: Lynx, tiger and tadpoles, oh my: See the Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners

Ethan Magoc curated today's edition of The Point.