Florida death toll rises to nine as search efforts continue after Hurricane Milton

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The death toll in Florida has risen to nine in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, as search and rescue operations are still ongoing. According to reports, officials confirmed the updated figure on Thursday, with rescue teams working to locate more victims. Volusia County Sheriff Michael J. Chitwood reported one fatality caused by a fallen tree.

St. Petersburg has seen around 18 inches of rainfall due to the storm. Hurricane Milton, initially classified as a Category 5 storm, has since been downgraded to a Category 1, but it continues to cause significant disruption. Roughly three million people remain without power across the state.

Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the situation in a press conference, noting that while the storm was severe, it was not the worst-case scenario. He highlighted that the storm had weakened before landfall and that the storm surge was not as significant as initially feared. Sarasota County experienced the most severe storm surge, measuring between 8 and 10 feet, in contrast to the 15-20 feet seen during Hurricane Helene in Taylor County.

Search and rescue teams continue their efforts as the state begins assessing the damage and recovery needs.