Hurricane Milton Leaves Millions Without Power, Snarls Flights.

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida near Sarasota, causing widespread flooding and leaving over 3 million customers without power. However, officials are hopeful that the damage will not be as severe as Hurricane Ian in 2022. The hurricane also spawned tornadoes in central Florida, resulting in at least four deaths. The estimated damages and losses from both the hurricane and tornadoes could range from $60 billion to $75 billion. This year, Milton is the fifth hurricane and second major storm to hit the US Gulf Coast. The Atlantic hurricane season has produced 13 named storms so far. Hurricane Helene, which struck two weeks prior, caused significant destruction and led to at least 230 deaths. The combined impact of Helene and Milton is expected to strain federal emergency funds and flood insurance programs. As of now, 3.4 million customers are without power in Florida, and over 2,200 flights have been canceled across the US. The storm has also caused damage to Florida's citrus groves, which are the largest in the country. Initial reports indicate that the storm surge was lower than expected, and Milton is now moving into the Atlantic and is expected to become a post-tropical storm. There is a possibility of another storm forming in the western Caribbean next week. [Extracted from the article]