Hurricane Milton death toll rises amid relief efforts

Officials in Florida on Friday attributed at least 16 deaths across eight counties to the storm, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. One man died Thursday when he stepped on a downed power line. Tornadoes in St. Lucie County killed at least six people. More than 2.4 million people were without power across the state Friday morning as thousands of linemen tried to restore power to communities hit by the hurricane. Response teams rescued hundreds of people and dozens of animals since Milton made landfall, said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Thousands of National Guard troops are active in the state.

How are recovery efforts going? Work crews in St. Petersburg restored drinking water Thursday after falling trees broke 30 water lines. The city is in Pinellas County, one of the areas in the path of Milton. The city will remain under a boil water notice until Monday and officials said the storm downed more than 100 traffic lights.

State agencies collaborated on rescue missions Friday and the Florida Department of Transportation continued to clear roadways. State inspectors on Thursday began performing checks on bridges to ensure they could reopen safely and the Florida Department of Health deployed nearly 600 emergency response vehicles to support emergency evacuations.

How are nonprofits responding to the hurricane? The American Red Cross volunteers served the 83,000 people who took refuge from the hurricane, the organization said Thursday. The Salvation Army mobilized dozens of teams to provide meals and support. Faith-based organizations like Convoy of Hope, CityServe, and Samaritan’s Purse began relief efforts in the state even as operations to help communities affected by Hurricane Helene continued across the Southeast.

What about the federal response? President Joe Biden last week urged Congress to approve more emergency aid funding to support recovery efforts. Lawmakers last month passed a deal to extend the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s current $20 billion funding level through late December. However, lawmakers have said the agency needs more funds to replenish its budget after the two hurricanes. Biden also called for more funding for the Small Business Association, which provides loans to business owners after disasters.

Dig deeper: Read my report about ministries partnering with local churches to support communities rocked by Helene.