Residents in Pinellas County faced a harrowing situation as floodwaters rose to waist-high levels following the passage of Hurricane Milton through the area. The National Weather Service issued warnings about continued rain and strong wind gusts as the storm moved off the east coast on Thursday morning.
According to meteorologist Jennifer Hubbard, the aftermath of the storm is expected to linger for some time due to the substantial amount of rainfall. She emphasized that the community will be grappling with the effects of the storm well into next week.
Throughout the night, water rescues were conducted in Pinellas County as reports emerged of residents trapped in their homes with water levels reaching waist-deep. While the exact number of people rescued remains unknown, the situation was described as urgent by Hubbard.
The National Weather Service has issued warnings of potential 'moderate to major' river flooding in the region as a consequence of the heavy rainfall brought by Hurricane Milton. Pinellas County, situated on Florida's west coast and encompassing cities like St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Dunedin, is bracing for the impact of the storm's aftermath.