Hurricane Milton updates: 16 dead across Florida in storm's aftermath

Milton forced millions to evacuate and left widespread destruction.

ByKevin Shalvey, Emily Shapiro, David Brennan, Julia Reinstein, Leah Sarnoff, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 11, 2024, 11:28 PM EDT

At least 16 people have died from Hurricane Milton, which roared onshore on Florida's west coast as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing tornadoes, powerful winds and flooding rains. The monster storm forced millions to evacuate and left widespread destruction across Florida.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Oct 07, 2024, 5:25 AM EDT

Milton strengthens to Category 2 hurricane

Hurricane Milton strengthened rapidly early Monday, with wind speeds climbing to 100 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said.

A hurricane watch was issued for the area around Tampa Bay, along Florida’s western coast.

A view of near-empty toilet paper shelves at a Walmart as Hurricane Milton approaches, in Tampa, Florida, Oct. 6, 2024.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

The storm, which is in the Gulf of Mexico, is forecast to become a major hurricane on Monday, meaning its winds are expected to reach or exceed 111 mph.

Landfall is expected on Wednesday night, with the storm expected to be a Category 3 storm with winds of about 125 mph.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo

Oct 07, 2024, 3:40 AM EDT

Milton forecast to be major hurricane

Hurricane Milton, which strengthened on Sunday into a Category 1 storm, is forecast to make landfall as a “major” hurricane on Florida’s west coast this week, the National Hurricane Center said.

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taken at 11:36 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, shows Hurricane Milton.
NOAA via AP

“While it is too soon to specify the exact magnitude and location of the greatest impacts, there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning early Wednesday,” the center said in a late Sunday advisory.

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