'The tornado was inside our house' - Florida reels after Milton

In Florida, a powerful tornado struck a community, leaving behind a trail of destruction and heartache. Crystal Coleman, a resident of St Lucie County, stood amidst the ruins of her home, contemplating where she and her daughter would find shelter for the night. This tornado was one of many that formed as a result of Hurricane Milton, which has tragically claimed the lives of at least five individuals in her neighborhood. Overall, the storm has resulted in the deaths of at least 16 people across the state. While Crystal felt grateful to be alive, she was uncertain about her next steps. 'All of a sudden, the door to my attic flew off, and everything in my house started flying around,' she recounted to BBC News. 'It was devastating; we were terrified. It felt like the tornado was inside our house. ' Although Crystal's neighborhood was located far from where Hurricane Milton initially made landfall, the tornadoes that struck her area were generated as the hurricane approached. This phenomenon is not uncommon with tropical storms. The tornado caused significant damage, tearing off parts of Crystal's roof and shattering windows. On the same street, volunteers from a local non-profit organization were distributing hundreds of hot meals to those affected. With power outages and no running water, residents were grateful for the warm meals and the kindness of strangers. The main road was littered with debris, including an overturned tractor-trailer and uprooted trees. Many residents have reached out to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for assistance, but their immediate concerns revolve around finding food and shelter for their families. The extent of the destruction caused by Hurricane Milton is still being evaluated, and officials warn that the death toll may continue to rise as they gather more information. The storm brought heavy rainfall, with some areas receiving up to 18 inches of water. Neighborhoods and roads remain flooded, and countless homes and businesses have been damaged or destroyed. Millions of residents are without power, but Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that the state did not experience the worst-case scenario. Many people evacuated, including approximately 80,000 individuals who sought refuge in shelters overnight. 'I believe that a significant number of people evacuated from the high-risk areas,' DeSantis remarked. Emergency crews have been deployed for numerous rescues across the state, utilizing large vehicles, boats, and helicopters. This includes over 400 individuals who were rescued from a severely flooded apartment complex in Pinellas County, as well as others who were found clinging to floating debris in the water. On Florida's west coast, Maria Bowman, a 60-year-old resident, took shelter in her bright pink mobile home in North Fort Myers as Hurricane Milton approached. Her home, located just 600 meters from the Caloosahatchee River, was in an evacuation zone due to the risk of storm surge. As the hurricane made landfall, she felt her home shake, and the power went out around 10 PM. 'It sounded like an explosion,' she described. 'Boom. No electricity. ' Having experienced numerous hurricanes, Maria is contemplating leaving Florida altogether. 'There are just too many hurricanes,' she expressed. 'One day you survive, and the next time, who knows? ' Governor DeSantis cautioned that flooding could still pose a threat in the coming days, and he noted that the death toll could rise as the impact of the storm becomes clearer. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor expressed relief that her city did not experience the feared storm surge, but the region still faced significant destruction. In nearby St Petersburg, the Major League Baseball stadium, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, suffered severe damage, with strong winds tearing apart the stadium's dome. A crane also collapsed in downtown St Petersburg, crashing into high-rise buildings as the storm passed through. Castor and other officials have spent days urging residents in Milton's path to evacuate their homes to avoid potential danger. An annotated graphic from the BBC highlighted the risks of storm surges, indicating that waves could reach heights of up to 15 feet, posing a serious threat to homes. Hurricane Milton made landfall as a category three storm, with winds reaching 124 mph. Earlier in its life cycle, it was classified as a category five hurricane, the most powerful classification. This hurricane arrived just two weeks after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the southeastern United States, resulting in over 200 fatalities and many more missing. Cleanup operations are currently underway, and Hurricane Milton has since weakened into a post-tropical cyclone, moving over the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Bahamas.