In 2024, 10 storms have evolved into hurricanes and four of them strengthened into major hurricanes, which means they’re classified as a category three storm or higher. According to an article from USA Today, Florida has experienced the most hurricanes out of any U.S. state since 1851, with over 120 hurricanes, 37 of them being major. From Sept. 26 to Oct. 12, Florida was victim to both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.
Due to the extreme warm water of the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26 in Keaton Beach, FL. According to statistics from the National Hurricane Center, Helene reached winds of over 130 mph and was classified as a category four hurricane. This devastated not just Florida, but also other states along the East Coast including North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina.
According to statistics from the NCPA, Hurricane Helene’s damage will cost an estimated $53 billion. There have been about 200 fatalities tied to Hurricane Helene reported by local officials. Junior Yesh Tafa said, “I was following the story closely and I felt so bad for all those families that had to experience this natural disaster.”
As parts of Florida were gradually beginning to rebuild after the first hurricane, residents were starting to see reports of another hurricane that may be heading their way In the next coming days.
On Oct. 9, just 13 days after Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton made landfall off the coast of Siesta Key, FlL. According to statistics from CBS News, Hurricane Milton entered land as a category three hurricane, but at its peak was a category five hurricane, making it the 42nd ever. According to statistics from NHC, Hurricane Milton reached wind speeds of up to 160 mph as it ripped through the Florida Peninsula. It was also reported by CBS News that there were at least 24 fatalities directly related to Hurricane Milton.
According to an article from CNN, Hurricane Milton’s damages included major power outages and limited gas for gas stations. The estimated cost of damage is $34 billion. Junior Kayden Chen said, “I hope that they are able to rebuild because I have family down in Florida and they said that they hadn’t seen a storm like that in their lifetime.”
In terms of relief effort, the Biden-Harris Administration is providing $1.2 billion in direct assistance against the damage caused by Hurricane Milton and Helene. Charities such as the American Red Cross Foundation are raising money to pay for relief. The U.S. Air Force responded by sending aeromedical evacuation and search and rescue efforts.
These two natural disasters devastated the state of Florida and showed that if you live in an area where there’s danger for a hurricane, always make sure to evacuate or make sure that your residence is able to withstand the extreme weather ahead.
