https://apnews.com/live/hurricane-milton-florida-tracker-updates
Four deaths were confirmed in St. Lucie County on Florida's east coast following tornadoes there.
More than 3.3 million homes and businesses were dark by early Thursday. Milton's powerful assault comes two weeks after Hurricane Helene slammed into the Florida coast on its way to devastating communities across at least seven states. Milton made landfall at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday on the state's western coast, a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph sustained winds amid a flurry of tornadoes it spawned.
∎ Oil prices rose Thursday on a spike in fuel demand, the impact of Milton in Florida and concerns about potential supply disruptions in the Middle East amid heightened tensions between Israel and major oil producer Iran. The storm has already driven up demand for gasoline in the state, with about a quarter of fuel stations selling out of supplies, which has helped to support crude prices.
∎ Reported tornadoes tore through parts of southwest Florida on Wednesday, including in Collier County and Lee County, causing extensive damage across Fort Myers and Cape Coral, local authorities said.
The barrier island of Matlacha was hit with a tornado and surge from Milton
More than 100 residents were rescued from an assisted living facility in Tampa
Hurricane Milton disrupts Yom Kippur plans for Jews in Florida
Milton destroys the roof of the Rays’ stadium, littering the field below with debris
‘People here have gotten flooded, relocated, come back and gotten flooded again’