CBC News goes inside two Florida communities shattered by Hurricane Milton and the multiple tornadoes it unleashed to see how people are coping, and why some weren’t rescued.

Tampa

Hurricane Milton has made landfall as a Category Three system, causing tornadoes and widespread damage across parts of Florida.

Hurricane Milton

The destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Milton is starkly evident in central Florida, where entire communities have been disrupted by the storm and accompanying tornadoes. With no mandatory evacuation orders in place, residents were unprepared for the devastation. For Amy Welsh and her family, the effects were particularly tragic when floodwaters prevented her from rescuing her paraplegic father, Joseph Murray. Despite multiple attempts and calls for assistance, she was forced to leave for her safety. Sadly, her father later passed away, with Welsh suspecting stress and fear contributed to his death.

During Hurricane Milton, the intensity of the storm was such that even emergency response services had to halt temporarily in some areas. First responders were unable to provide the assistance required during critical moments, like in Welsh's case, compounding the emotional trauma for affected families. As the grief of losing both her father and her home weighs heavily on Welsh, she finds solace in her children and the memories of her father's happier times contributing to the community.

The aftermath of Hurricane Milton continues to pose risks, with potential rising floodwaters a significant concern. Authorities are cautioning residents returning to their homes to remain vigilant as search and rescue efforts are still underway. 



Inside Florida communities levelled by Hurricane Milton

You can see and feel the sense of loss the moment you enter the neighbourhood. Homes flooded and torn apart far from the coast in central Florida. There were no mandatory evacuation orders here. Amy Welsh lives in one of these mobile homes. And her dad, Joseph Murray, a paraplegic with serious health challenges, lived next door. During Hurricane Milton she went back and forth checking on him until suddenly floodwaters rushed in. And I went to go out this back door, my place there. And it was too much water to get through to him. She was no more than three metres from his door. But it was too dangerous for her or her partner Matt to cross. We called 911 and asked if they can come and help us rescue for my dad. I needed another person. If we had one more person that was strong enough they could help us get him out. They said they can't send nobody right now. Staring at her father's home in agony through the wind and rain she made the painful decision to leave for safer ground. I didn't know what to do. I was helpless at the point. Welsh returned to the neighbourhood at sunrise. Her partner Matt was finally able to get into her father's trailer. Matt comes back to tell me that my dad has passed away and I said no. The family dog, Draco, stayed with Joseph Murray until his final moments. It doesn't appear he drowned as Welsh had feared. And I honestly think that probably what took him is the stress of thinking that he were going to drown there because he was unable to walk to get out and I couldn't get to him. Welsh leans on her daughter for comfort remembering her dad in his healthier days. He loved to ride and help neighbourhood kids get bikes of their own. As her grieving begins she's trying to be strong for her kids. I literally lost everything through the storm. My dad and the material things and but I have my kids. Hurricane Milton was so strong that in some places even first responders had to temporarily suspend services. And your story, Katie, really highlighting the individual tragedies from Milton. Yeah and there could be more to come. The search and rescue aspect of this is very much still underway. And there is concern that floodwaters may continue to rise in some areas. That is why authorities are urging anyone who did make the trek back home to be incredibly cautious.

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Hurricane Milton