Hurricane

Hurricane Milton battered Southwest Florida. What does the damage look like?

By Grethel Aguila , Tiffany Tompkins and Al Diaz
Photos show how Hurricane Milton ravaged parts of Florida, including Bradenton, Tampa and Siesta Key.
Photos show how Hurricane Milton ravaged parts of Florida, including Bradenton, Tampa and Siesta Key. Ryan Ballogg

Hours after Hurricane Milton slammed Florida’s Gulf Coast, residents and officials in the region have headed to the streets, surveying the damage and cleaning up debris left by the major storm.

Category 3 Milton, which made landfall at Siesta Key just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday with 120 mph winds, brought life-threatening storm surge, pounding winds and power outages to counties across the state.

Here’s what the aftermath looked like in parts of the hardest-hit areas of southwest Florida:

Photos show how Hurricane Milton ravaged parts of Florida, including Bradenton, Tampa and Siesta Key.
Photos show how Hurricane Milton ravaged parts of Florida, including Bradenton, Tampa and Siesta Key. Ryan Ballogg
Photos show how Hurricane Milton ravaged parts of Florida, including Bradenton, Tampa and Siesta Key.
Photos show how Hurricane Milton ravaged parts of Florida, including Bradenton, Tampa and Siesta Key. Ryan Ballogg rballogg@bradentonherald.com
A member of a tree removal team works on cutting up a huge oak that fell in the 300 block of 24th Street West in Bradenton after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024.
A member of a tree removal team works on cutting up a huge oak that fell in the 300 block of 24th Street West in Bradenton after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Locales Brian Rhodes and Trish Cloutier surveying damage and debris in front of homes in Charlotte County near Manasota Key on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area.
Locales Brian Rhodes and Trish Cloutier surveying damage and debris in front of homes in Charlotte County near Manasota Key on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area. Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com
Residents of Luxor Mobile Home Park in Bradenton, Florida, survey the damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024.
Residents of Luxor Mobile Home Park in Bradenton, Florida, survey the damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
The Cortez Bridge to Anna Maria Island is only open for emergency responders after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024.
The Cortez Bridge to Anna Maria Island is only open for emergency responders after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Karre Willis, right, and her husband walk through their neighborhood surveying damage and debris in front of their neighbors’ homes in Charlotte County near Manasota Key on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area.
Karre Willis, right, and her husband walk through their neighborhood surveying damage and debris in front of their neighbors’ homes in Charlotte County near Manasota Key on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area. Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com

READ MORE: Live updates: More than 80 percent without power in Manatee County after Milton hits

Steve Macfarlane and his kids were surprised their tree fort survived after the tree toppled on their property in West Bradenton on Oct. 10, 2024.
Steve Macfarlane and his kids were surprised their tree fort survived after the tree toppled on their property in West Bradenton on Oct. 10, 2024. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Damage and debris in front of homes in Charlotte County near Manasota Key on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area and two weeks after Hurricane Helene struck the area.
Damage and debris in front of homes in Charlotte County near Manasota Key on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area and two weeks after Hurricane Helene struck the area. Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com
Cindy Herman reacts as she inspects the damage of her home caused by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene two weeks before at Venice Bay Adult Park in Venice, Florida on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.
Cindy Herman reacts as she inspects the damage of her home caused by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene two weeks before at Venice Bay Adult Park in Venice, Florida on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com

READ MORE: See what Hurricane Milton did to Florida. Video of the arriving storm and the damage

Debris remains scattered after Hurricane Milton at the Luxor Mobile Home Park on 14th Street in Bradenton on Thursday, Oct. 10.
Debris remains scattered after Hurricane Milton at the Luxor Mobile Home Park on 14th Street in Bradenton on Thursday, Oct. 10. Tiffany Tompkins Bradenton Herald
Cortez Village had widespread debris and damage after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024.
Cortez Village had widespread debris and damage after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Debris scattered in a Charlotte County neighborhood caused by Hurricane Milton in Sarasota, Florida on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Debris scattered in a Charlotte County neighborhood caused by Hurricane Milton in Sarasota, Florida on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com
The Iron Block Building on Old Main across from the historic courthouse in Bradenton is pictured damaged after Hurricane Milton on Thursday, Oct. 10.
The Iron Block Building on Old Main across from the historic courthouse in Bradenton is pictured damaged after Hurricane Milton on Thursday, Oct. 10. Tiffany Tompkin Bradenton Herald
Manatee Fruit’s greenhouses suffered from the storm after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024.
Manatee Fruit’s greenhouses suffered from the storm after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Yurii Chmyrid,11, inspects the propeller of an upside down plane damaged by Hurricane Milton at the Venice Municipal Airport on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.
Yurii Chmyrid,11, inspects the propeller of an upside down plane damaged by Hurricane Milton at the Venice Municipal Airport on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com
Sunny Shores Mobile Home Park suffered more damage after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024.
Sunny Shores Mobile Home Park suffered more damage after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
Film canisters are among the debris scattered in a Charlotte County neighborhood caused by Hurricane Milton in Sarasota, Florida on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Film canisters are among the debris scattered in a Charlotte County neighborhood caused by Hurricane Milton in Sarasota, Florida on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com
Karre Willis, right, and her husband walk through their neighborhood surveying damage and debris in front of their neighbors’ homes in Charlotte County near Manasota Key on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area.
Karre Willis, right, and her husband walk through their neighborhood surveying damage and debris in front of their neighbors’ homes in Charlotte County near Manasota Key on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area. Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com
Waterway Condominiums lost sections of their roof after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024.
Waterway Condominiums lost sections of their roof after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com

READ MORE: Manatee County under flood watch after Hurricane Milton. What’s the weather like?

This story was originally published October 10, 2024 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Hurricane Milton battered Southwest Florida. What does the damage look like?."

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Grethel Aguila
Miami Herald
Grethel covers courts and the criminal justice system for the Miami Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), speaks Spanish and Arabic and loves animals, traveling, basketball and good storytelling. Grethel also attends law school part time.