More than one million Florida residents have been left without power, as shocking footage shows a tornado tearing through a Florida neighborhood destroying powerlines.
The outages are concentrated in Sarasota and Manatee County, according to USAToday data.
The horrifying footage, posted on Instagram by Abc7ny, shows a Hurricane Milton-related tornado raging through the sky in Wellington, Florida.
Powerlines are seen brightly bursting as the tornado tore them apart. Cars in the video sped away from the unexpected sparks.
TECO Energy, which provides electricity to West Central Florida, urges residents to stay away from fallen powerlines and to stay out of floodwaters because they conceal powerlines.
People should unplug non-essential electric equipment to protect themselves from hazardous power surges.
When using portable generators, TECO said to plug appliances directly into them and not to connect generators to a home’s circuits.
Generators need to stay outdoors because they can caused carbon monoxide gases to build up.
Another company, Duke Energy Florida, emphasized the importance of electrical safety during these dangerous times.
‘Despite extensive system improvements and rigorous tree trimming, the strong winds and flooding will cause power outages. Customers should expect significant damage and make immediate preparations for extended power outage durations,’ Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida’s storm director, said in a statement.
Hurricane Milton made landfall as a category 3 storm on Wednesday night.
The classification marks only the speed of Milton’s wind gusts, as forecasters warned that the storm is set to be one of the worst in recent memory when hurricane-force winds hit the coast later today.
Sparks fly as a tornado strikes Wellington, Florida powerlines
Floridians have already been hit with heavy rainfall and a potent tornado outbreak that brought at least 90 tornado warnings across the state on Wednesday.
Winds on land already reported at over 120 miles per hour and several inches of rain fallen and a ‘catastrophic’ flooding situation developing in Tampa Bay.
Tornadoes touched down in the Everglades and Fort Myers. Forecasters warn more could appear across central and southern Florida.
The greatest danger is posed by the wall of water, known as a storm surge, that Milton will whip up. Initially feared to be fifteen feet tall, forecasters now believe the storm surge will be a still record-breaking 12 feet in height.
A tornado rips through Florida powerlines as Hurricane Milton lands at a category 3 storm
The NOAA posted terrifying drone camera footage showing massive, 28-foot waves caused by Hurricane Milton.
The waves are approximately 28.12 feet – longer than a London bus and four times as tall as Andre the Giant – and feature wind gusts just over 75 miles per hour.
The video is part of a program with the drone-makers, Saildrone, in an ‘effort to better understand and predict devastating events like Hurricane Milton.’
Emergency efforts have been rolled out across the state, as people have been advised to evacuate.
The Florida Department of Health deployed over 200 emergency response vehicles, according to the governor’s website.
Florida residents were advised to flee before the storm landed
Winds as high as 120mph have been reported in Florida
Florida residents who refused to leave their homes have been advised to write their names on their legs so authorities could identify their bodies.
Millions of people across Florida are locked in a desperate race against time to evacuate before the ‘storm of the century’ smashes into Tampa late tonight, with officials warning that those choosing to stay and ride out Hurricane Milton would be left to fend for themselves.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor urged locals to evacuate before the 15 feet of storm surge forecast to hit her city submerges entire properties. She has repeatedly warned those who are refusing to leave that they could die in their homes.