At least 11 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared

In this aerial photo, a vehicle drives though a flooded street after Hurricane Milton, in Siesta Key, Florida, on October 10, 2024. At least 10 people were dead after Hurricane Milton smashed into Florida, US authorities said October 10, 2024, after the monster weather system sent tornados spinning across the state and flooded swaths of the Tampa Bay area. [AFP]

At least 11 people died as Hurricane Milton sent tornadoes spinning across Florida, officials said Thursday as the state grappled with flooding, power outages and other woes from a milder than expected storm that many had feared would be catastrophic.

The hurricane blasted across the state late Wednesday before roaring into the Atlantic, leaving behind roads blocked by downed trees and power lines. It shredded the roof of a baseball stadium. Some three million homes and businesses were without power.