More than 2 million Floridians are without power, as harrowing footage shows a tornado tearing through Florida neighborhoods knocking out power grids.
The outages were concentrated in Sarasota and Manatee County, according to USAToday data.
The harrowing footage, posted on Instagram by Abc7ny, shows a tornado associated with Hurricane Milton raging across the sky in Wellington, Florida.
Powerlines were seen bursting brightly as the tornado tore them apart. The cars in the video ran away from the unexpected spark.
TECO Energy, which provides electricity to West Central Florida, is asking residents to stay away from downed power lines and avoid flooding as they hide power lines.
People should unplug non-essential electrical appliances to protect themselves from dangerous power surges.
When using a portable generator, TECO says plug the appliance directly into the person and not to connect the generator to the home circuit.
The generator should be kept outdoors as it can cause carbon monoxide gas to rise.
Another company, Duke Energy Florida, emphasized the importance of electrical safety during this dangerous time.
‘Despite an extensive grooming system and strict tree trimming, strong winds and flooding will cause power outages. Customers should expect significant damage and make immediate preparations for extended periods of power outages,” said Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director, in a statement.
Hurricane Milton made landfall as a category 3 storm on Wednesday night.
The classification only marks Milton’s wind speed, as forecasters warn the storm will be one of the worst in recent memory when hurricane-force winds hit the coast later today.
Sparks fly as a tornado hits Wellington, Florida powerlines
Floridians have been hit by heavy rain and an outbreak of powerful tornadoes that brought at least 90 tornado warnings across the state on Wednesday.
Onshore winds have been reported in excess of 120 miles per hour and several inches of rain and ‘catastrophic’ flooding conditions are developing in Tampa Bay.
Tornadoes hit the Everglades and Fort Myers. Forecasters warn more could be seen in central and southern Florida.
The biggest danger is the wall of water, known as the storm surge, which Milton will face. Initially feared to be fifteen feet, forecasters now believe the storm surge will reach a record-breaking 12 feet.
A tornado tore through Florida’s powerlines while Hurricane Milton landed as a category 3 storm
NOAA posted shocking drone camera footage showing massive 28-foot waves caused by Hurricane Milton.
The wave was about 28.12 feet – longer than a London bus and four times taller than Andre the Giant – and had wind gusts of more than 75 miles per hour.
The video is part of a program with drone maker Saildrone in ‘an effort to better understand and predict devastating events like Hurricane Milton.’
Emergency measures have been launched across the country, as people have been advised to evacuate.
The Florida Department of Health is deploying more than 200 emergency response vehicles, according to the governor’s website.
Florida residents are being advised to evacuate before the storm makes landfall
Winds of up to 120mph have been reported in Florida
Florida residents who refuse to leave their homes are encouraged to write their names on their feet so authorities can identify them.
Millions of people in Florida are locked in a desperate race against time to evacuate before the ‘storm of the century’ hits Tampa tonight, with officials warning that those who choose to stay and ride out Hurricane Milton will be left alone.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor urged local residents to evacuate before the 15-foot storm surge forecast to hit her city flattened all of their properties. He had repeatedly warned those who refused to leave that they could die in their homes.
