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B1039 Hurricane Central

B1039 Hurricane Central

B1039 Hurricane Central

First Pictures Of Punta Gorda After Hurricane Milton

By Joe Winner
In this aerial view, Flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The flooding in the town was minimized as Milton was an uncharacteristically dry hurricane. Although high winds pushed water ashore, during the storms approach there was little rain. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

It’s Thursday morning, and with the sun coming up we’re getting our first look at the damage brought on by Hurricane Milton in Punta Gorda. Officially, Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key, but the southern surge of water is what brought damage as you can see in these pictures of Punta Gorda.

Here’s what things looked like in Fort Myers last night:

Members of the media work in flooded streets after Hurricane Milton made landfall in the Sarasota area on October 09, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida. Milton, coming on the heels of the destructive Helene, hit as a category 3 storm with winds of over 100 mph, though veering south of the projected direct hit on Tampa. Instead, the storm, which earlier had reportedly spawned tornadoes, landed about 70 miles south of Tampa near Siesta Key, a strip of white-sand beaches that's home to 5,500 people, according to published reports..
Members of the media work in flooded streets after Hurricane Milton made landfall in the Sarasota area on October 09, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida. Milton, coming on the heels of the destructive Helene, hit as a category 3 storm with winds of over 100 mph, though veering south of the projected direct hit on Tampa. Instead, the storm, which earlier had reportedly spawned tornadoes, landed about 70 miles south of Tampa near Siesta Key, a strip of white-sand beaches that’s home to 5,500 people, according to published reports.. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The floodwaters in the Fort Myers are were expected, what took the town off guard was the tornadoes that unexpectedly spun up. Tornadoes forming in the outer bands of hurricanes is common, but what we saw in Southwest Florida yesterday afternoon was horrifying.

Related: Hurricane Milton Causes Massive Sinkhole in Hillsborough County

Pictures Of Punta Gorda After Hurricane Milton

These are the first pictures of Punta Gorda we’re seeing after the sun came up. The first batch is aerial drone photographs from Getty Images. Additional photos supplied by Charlotte County Emergency Management.

Donate Now To Help Those Affected By Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Milton relief and Recovery text over a grayed out image of a hurricane

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