Shownotes Transcript
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Hurricane Milton is moving off the east coast of Florida and into the Atlantic Ocean. Its top sustained winds are at 85 miles per hour. Milton plowed a path of destruction across Florida after storming ashore last night on the state's west coast with top sustained winds of 125 miles per hour. NPR's Greg Allen reports Milton brought flooding, a lot of wind damage and deadly tornadoes. The first deaths from Milton were reported in St. Lucie County on Florida's east coast.
Tornadoes touched down in the community there, destroying homes and, according to the sheriff, accounting for multiple deaths.
Across the state, officials said some 150 homes were destroyed by tornadoes. Trees and power lines are down across the state, leaving some 3 million people without power. High winds toppled a construction crane in St. Petersburg and shredded the roof at Tropicana Field. Hurricane Milton brought several feet of storm surge to Dennis, Charlotte Harbor, and Fort Myers. A river gauge in Sarasota rose 8 feet within a short period. Milton is moving off Florida's east coast into the Atlantic. Crews will be out today assessing the damage,
Clearing roads and restoring power. Greg Allen, NPR News, Brandon, Florida. Millions of people evacuated Florida's coasts ahead of the storm, and some people weren't able to get to shelters. Many gas stations ran out of fuel. T.J. McCormick is a professional storm chaser who tracked Hurricane Milton across Florida.
He says he and his team found a stranded family. We found a family with small children sitting alongside of the river, broken down in their car, and we were able to actually take them home. He says during their drive, they dodged falling trees and exploding power lines.
Kamala Harris is balancing a demanding presidential campaign schedule with her duties as vice president as the hurricane barreled across Florida. And Fierce Daniel Kurtzleben is traveling with the vice president. Harris is campaigning this week in the western swing states of Nevada and Arizona. Wednesday evening, Harris traveled to Las Vegas, where she met with members of Culinary Union Local 226. Today, she will participate in a Univision town hall in Las Vegas, followed by a rally in Phoenix.
That rally comes one day after early voting began in Arizona and also one day after her running mate, Tim Walz, spoke to veterans in the state and did his own rally in Tucson. According to the White House, Harris will be briefed throughout the day on Hurricane Milton. President Biden won both Arizona and Nevada in 2020 and both are deadlocked this year.
Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, Las Vegas. Former President Donald Trump continued to criticize Vice President Harris in campaign events yesterday in Pennsylvania. He hurled a number of insults at Harris, including calling her, quote, a dummy. Trump also continued to spread falsehoods about the federal government's response to the hurricanes. President Biden castigated Trump yesterday for that, saying Trump is telling, quote, outright lies.
You're listening to NPR News. This message is brought to you by NPR sponsor, Lisa, in collaboration with West Elm. Discover the new natural hybrid mattress, expertly crafted from natural latex and certified safe foams, designed with your health and the planet in mind. Visit leesa.com to learn more.
