Hurricane Milton aftermath: Sarasota County getting first look at damage

Sarasota County devastated by Hurricane Milton

FOX 13's Matthew McClellan gives us our first look in daylight at severe damage caused by Hurricane Milton in Sarasota County, where the storm made landfall Wednesday night as a major Category 3 hurricane.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Sarasota County took a direct hit from Hurricane Milton, which made landfall Wednesday night near Siesta Key as a powerful Category 3 storm.

Crews are beginning damage assessments Thursday morning, with officials anticipating "catastrophic" storm impacts.

"We are definitely seeing some major impacts to our community, from infrastructure to the coastal barrier islands," Sarasota County Director of Communications Jamie Carson told FOX 13 on Thursday morning.

Sarasota County resident shares Milton experience

FOX 13’s Matthew McClellan spoke with a Sarasota County resident who described what he experienced as Hurricane Milton directly hit the area.

Officials said 75% of the county is still without power.

Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman says deputies are doing safety checks and search and rescue operations from the north end of the county all the way to the south end of the county. Barrier islands remain closed.

READ: Florida power outages: Hurricane Milton knocks out power to millions

"What I'm asking for our citizens is to be patient. Don't get out on the roads and get in the way of first responders that are trying to do their search and rescue," explained Hoffman.

Hurricane Milton devastated Sarasota County, causing widespread damage. This mobile home park in North Sarasota is among the many impacted areas.

Tactical First in Teams (TFIT) began assessing damage before the sun rose on Thursday morning.

Many roads are flooded, and traffic signals are out throughout Sarasota County. Officials say when traffic signals are out, drivers should treat them like four-way stops.

Residents are also advised not to wade through standing water because flood water can be contaminated with bacteria and viruses.

READ: Tropicana Field roof ripped off by Hurricane Milton

"We are tired. We are weary. But I tell you we are resilient. And neighbors have been helping neighbors and community members have been helping community members way before this storm moved in," shared Sarasota County Public Information and Community Outreach Manager Genevieve Judge.

Judge said Sarasota County had less than two weeks to recover from Hurricane Helene before Milton made landfall.

"We will continue to piece things together one day at a time," said Judge.

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