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Hurricane Milton aftermath: Severe damage in Hillsborough County, residents rescued from floodwaters

By FOX 13 News Staff
Published  October 10, 2024 10:40am EDT
Hurricane Milton
FOX 13 News

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    TAMPA, Fla. - Almost two weeks after Hurricane Helene caused significant damage in Hillsborough County, Hurricane Milton brought heavy rain and wind for several hours, leading to widespread flooding and power outages.

    Before Milton made landfall on Wednesday night, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor begged residents in evacuation zones A and B to move to higher ground. Hillsborough County issued a mandatory evacuation order for evacuation zones A and B, and for all mobile homes and manufactured housing.

    Hundreds of thousands of customers countywide lost power during the storm, with widespread outages reported.

    County officials are urging everyone to conserve as much water as possible while crews monitor all water and wastewater systems.

    Plant City

    Officials in Plant City say they're dealing with "unprecedented" flooding, leading to dozens of rescues late Wednesday into early Thursday.

    Tampa

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    Courtesy: Tampa Police Department

    The Tampa Police Department says a tree crashed into a Tampa home and officers responded to help the people stuck inside as soon as there was a break in storm bands.

    TPD rescues 15 people during Hurricane Milton

    Officers from the Tampa Police Department say they rescued 15 people after a tree crashed into a home during Hurricane Milton.

    The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has rescued 135 people from an assisted living facility in Tampa. Just after 7 a.m., deputies say they got a call that residents of The Great American Assisted Living Facility were trapped inside.

    The sheriff's office says residents were in waist-deep water and many were wheel-chair bound.

    Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

    Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

    The City of Tampa announced that some areas of the city more directly impacted by the storm have not yet been deemed safe and are restricted to public access.

    The city created a webpage to inform residents of any travel restrictions or closures. For more information, click here.

    Temple Terrace

    Officials in Temple Terrace say damage assessments began Thursday morning, adding that all non-essential city services, including City Hall, the Family Recreation Complex, the Omar K. Lightfoot Complex, and the library, will be closed until further notice.

    The City of Temple Terrace is under a Boil Water Notice due to widespread power outages caused by Milton.

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