Florida Residents Return Home After Hurricane Milton, Some Relieved Amid Destruction

 

As Hurricane Milton made landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast, some residents, like Carla Simionescu of Sarasota, breathed a sigh of relief upon returning home. Simionescu, a 46-year-old waitress, reassured concerned family members Thursday morning while surveying her yard, which was littered with debris from the storm.

Living just six miles from Siesta Key, where the storm hit around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Simionescu chose not to evacuate. Instead, she boarded up her windows and stayed with her mother and two daughters, despite the hurricane's strength.

“We were nervous because it was a big storm, but we had a backup plan and felt prepared,” said Simionescu, an Uruguayan immigrant who has lived in Florida since 1997. Reflecting on past storms, she downplayed Milton's impact compared to a 2005 hurricane in Fort Lauderdale that caused severe damage. "Some relatives in Miami were worried, but I knew we’d be fine. We’re Floridians, we’re strong."

While Sarasota experienced less severe damage than expected, other areas of Florida were hit harder. Tornadoes spawned by Milton claimed at least six lives—four in St. Lucie County and two in St. Petersburg.

In Sarasota, approximately 100,000 residents were left without power, and fallen trees blocked many roads. Still, the city fared better than St. Petersburg, where 17 inches of rain and wind gusts up to 120 mph caused widespread damage, including tearing the roof of the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field.

Sarasota County set up shelters in public schools equipped with generators and Wi-Fi, helping ease the discomfort of displaced residents.

While parts of Florida face significant recovery efforts, many residents like Simionescu are grateful their communities avoided the worst of the storm.