Hurricane ‘Milton’ Hits Florida with Strong Winds and Heavy Rainfall
300 Million Places Affected with Power Outages and Casualties, Hurricane ‘Milton’, which was originally dubbed as a ‘Category 5’ storm and described as a ‘super hurricane of the century,’ made landfall in the southeastern region of Florida on the 9th. Although it weakened to a ‘Category 3’ storm upon landfall, the impacts of Milton, including heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding, prompted evacuation orders for at least 2 million residents.
In some areas within St. Lucie County, casualties are suspected but not officially confirmed by authorities. With Hurricane ‘Hulene’ having struck the southeastern U.S. just on the 26th of last month, the aftermath of Milton is expected to result in significant loss of life and property. The damage and shock caused by the hurricane are also likely to have a considerable impact on the upcoming U.S. presidential election scheduled for the 5th of next month.
According to reports from CNN and others, Milton made landfall on the coast of Siesta Key in western Florida on the 9th. Reports of power outages, road flooding, and house destruction were widespread due to the hurricane’s accompanying winds reaching speeds of up to 195 km/h. Before and after Milton’s landfall, a minimum of 16 tornadoes were reported statewide. Over 100 houses were destroyed, and power outages occurred in approximately 3 million places. Tropicana Field, the home stadium of the MLB team Tampa Bay Rays designed to withstand winds of up to 185 km/h, also had its roof torn off. In some areas, tower cranes collapsed, damaging nearby buildings.
Florida’s landmarks such as SeaWorld, Disney World, Universal Studios, as well as the Kennedy Space Center of NASA, were closed. A significant number of flights were suspended, and ground transportation faced disruptions.
Particularly in western St. Petersburg, approximately 228.6 mm of rainfall poured in just three hours on the 9th. This amount of rainfall is equivalent to the average 3-month rainfall in the region. CNN reported that by the 10th, around 400 mm of rain had fallen in St. Petersburg, describing it as an amount of rain that only occurs once in a thousand years.
The Washington Post stated that currently, there is no greater variable than a hurricane that could impact the presidential election, labeling it as a possible ‘October surprise.’ It also predicted a high likelihood of decreased voter turnout in heavily affected areas by the hurricane. Unlike in Korea, the U.S. presidential election day is not a legal holiday. Residents in urgently needing recovery from the damage caused by the hurricane may find it challenging to prioritize voting. Additionally, there are analyses suggesting that as hurricane damage escalates, it could disadvantage the current ruling party, the Democratic Party.