TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Milton plowed into Florida as a Category 3 storm Wednesday, bringing misery to a coast still ravaged by Helene, pounding cities with winds of over 100 mph (160 kph) after producing a barrage of tornadoes, but sparing Tampa a direct hit. The storm tracked to the south in the final hours and made landfall in Siesta Key near Sarasota, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa.
The situation in the Tampa area was still a major emergency as St. Petersburg recorded over 16 inches (41 centimeters) of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of flash flooding there as well as other parts of western and central Florida. Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays in St.
Petersburg, appeared to be badly damaged. The fabric that serves as the domed building’s roof had been ripped to shreds. It was not immediately clear if there was damage inside the stadium.
Multiple cranes were also toppled in the storm, the weather service said. St. Petersburg residents also could no longer get water from their household taps because a water main break led the city to shut down service.
More than 2 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, according to , which tracks utility reports. The highest number of outages were in Hardee County, as well as neighboring Sarasota and Manatee counties. Before Milton even made landfall, tornadoes were touching down across the state.
The Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce, on Florida’s.