US President says it is too early to assess the impact of the storm; will visit Florida on Sunday (13.Oct)
The President of the United States, Joe Biden (Democratic Party), said this Friday (October 11, 2024) that the damage caused by Hurricane Milton in Florida was estimated at US$50 billion (around R$281 billion), but that it is still too early to measure the impact .
“Experts estimate that it could be more, it could be less, but that [furacão Milton] caused around US$50 billion in damage.”said the Democrat in briefing published by the White House.
The American leader also stated that local authorities and the Florida National Guard are working to clean up the debris left by the storm.
According to the White House, Biden will visit Florida on Sunday (Oct 13) to monitor the situation. At least 2.2 million residents remain without electricity in the region, with some areas still flooded.
HURRICANE MILTON
Hurricane Milton was formed on October 5th due to rising temperatures in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which reached around 29.5 °C, approximately 1 °C above average.
Water temperatures above 27°C along with winds and pressure changes make hurricanes more susceptible. The geography of Florida’s west coast, with its shallow coastal areas, contributed to the risk of storm surge.
United States authorities issued a series of warnings to the local population. President Joe Biden asked citizens to leave places with evacuation orders, which are mandatory. The US president also stated that the phenomenon could be one of the worst in Florida in the last 100 years.
The first deaths caused by Hurricane Milton in Florida were confirmed on Thursday (Oct. 10). Until Friday night (Oct. 11), the North American broadcaster NBC News had confirmed the deaths of 17 people. Around 3 million people were left without electricity in the state the day after the storm.
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