Hurricane Milton plows through St. Pete, city commences recovery efforts

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DEBRIS IN ST. PETERSBURG | Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images

Making landfall Wednesday evening near Siesta Key as a Category 3 storm, Hurricane Milton unleashed its wrath throughout Florida with its outer bands also causing immense storm surge and property damage.

"It’s been a tough few weeks, but we’re still with you - we’re ready to recover and rebuild," the City of St. Petersburg team wrote on Facebook.

"City crews began accessing damage at daybreak and we’re encouraging all residents to stay off the roads until public safety officials deem it safe."

The storm was previously a Category 5 hurricane as it barreled over the Gulf of Mexico approaching Florida's central west coast.

Milton’s winds reached 120 miles per hour when it made landfall, but its strength later declined to a Category 1.

Sustained winds were at 83 miles per hour in St. Pete and the highest gust recorded was 101 mph from the Albert Whitted Airport tower, according to the city.

St. Pete received approximately 18 inches of rain.

Storm shreds roof off Tropicana Field

The monster storm ripped off the fabric of the baseball stadium, exposing the lights.

Prior to the storm's arrival, the Florida Division of Emergency Management set up a 10,000-person base camp at Tropicana Field to support debris operations and post-landfall responders after Hurricane Milton.

No injuries were reported during the rooftop incident, according to the St. Petersburg Fire Rescue.

Crane at 400 Central collapses into building

A crane at the 400 Central, a 46-story condominium tower under construction in downtown St. Pete, collapsed into an office building.

The crane left a gaping hole in the office building that houses the Tampa Bay Times and other businesses, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

No injuries were reported from that area of downtown St. Petersburg, according to a city statement.

A crane at the 400 central construction site in downtown st. pete collapses into Tampa bay times building. Photo taken from the 9th floor of McNulty Lofts | photo provided by Jessica Dwyer

First responders will be doing damage assessments when conditions are safer.

The city is asking residents to avoid the areas surrounding 400 Central Avenue and Tropicana Field.

The crane incident follows Red Apple's and general contractor Suffolk Construction's celebration of vertical completion of the 301 condo unit tower. 

Update: Red Apple Real Estate provided a statement regarding the crane collapse 

“We are grateful that no one was injured in the area, and that the only damage was to bricks and not to people,” John Catsimatidis Sr., founder of Red Apple Real Estate, said in a statement.

“The 400 Central building is in good condition, but we are conducting further inspections. We expect work on the building to recommence as soon as possible.”

More than 3 million in Florida without power

Currently, over 3.2 million Floridians are without power after the hurricane swept through the state.

The utility with the most customers hit was Florida Power & Light Company, with over one million clients without power, followed by Duke Energy, w

Duke Energy Florida reported approximately 850,000 power outages, as of Thursday morning. As customers return home, the company expects outage numbers to continue to increase.  

Duke Energy Florida is conducting damage assessment as weather and road conditions allow and will soon begin the lengthy restoration process. 

“Hurricane Milton barreled through our state with a devastating intensity, leaving behind a trail of destruction that we, and many Floridians, can’t yet fully comprehend," Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director, said in an announcement.

“Our crews will continue to assess the damage to our infrastructure and equipment, which is a critical first step in the overall power restoration process. As with any storm of this magnitude, we encourage our customers to prepare for extended outages, and we thank them for their patience.”

Power outages can be reported in the following ways:

  • Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.

  • Use the Duke Energy mobile app (download from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play).

  • Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).

  • Call the automated outage reporting system at 800.228.8485.

Bridges reopen

Officials have reopened the bridges to the barrier islands. Access to the County from outside counties is open, according to Pinellas County.

The Howard Frankland Bridge and Sunshine Skyway Bridge are open in both directions.

Authorities and county officials are advising residents to stay off the roads if possible. There are safety threats including downed power lines, fallen trees, debris, and traffic signal outages, the county warns.

Info on other bridges can be found at fl511.com.

Sewer treatment plant update

City crews were out at daybreak to inspect and re-energize the Northeast and Southwest Sewer Plants.

Sewer services are back online for both of the impacted areas.

Trash and recycling

Trash and recycling services will not be available today. Sanitation drivers have been re-deployed to help with first push and clearing streets.

Boil water notice

Last night, the city shut off potable (drinking) water due to major water main breaks from Hurricane Milton. Crews are making repairs and potable water is back on, though pressure may be low. Once the system is pressurized, water service should resume as normal.

However, a citywide boil water notice has been issued for all water customers including residents of St. Petersburg, Gulfport, South Pasadena, and Lealman.

For the latest updates and more information, visit the City of St. Petersburg’s Hurricane Center website portal.