On October 9, 2024, Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, made landfall on Florida’s west coast with winds reaching 120 mph. The storm brought widespread destruction across the region, including severe flooding, storm surges, tornadoes, and power outages, affecting millions of homes and businesses in Florida. Tragically, Milton has claimed at least 24 lives, adding to the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which resulted in significant destruction across Florida and other Southeastern states and took the lives of at least 227 people.
Hurricane Milton: Facts FAQS, and how to help
- Fast facts: Hurricane Milton
- What is the latest update on Hurricane Milton?
- What is the difference between Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene?
- What is World Vision doing to help communities affected by Hurricane Milton?
- How can I help people affected by Hurricane Milton and other disasters in the U.S.?
Fast facts: Hurricane Milton
- Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, on the evening of October 9, 2024, as a Category 3 hurricane.
- Initially a Category 5 hurricane, Milton was downgraded to Category 3 before roaring ashore.
- Residents in Florida faced threats from tornadoes, hail, and wind, leading to mass evacuations. Milton knocked out power to over 3 million homes and businesses.
- Milton, Florida’s third landfalling hurricane for the 2024 season, followed Helene and Debby — and was the first to hit the Tampa Bay region in over a century.
What is the latest update on Hurricane Milton?
As of February 2025, the recovery of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, on October 9, 2024, as a Category 3 storm, is ongoing.
While many areas have made significant progress, some of the hardest-hit communities face continued challenges like power restoration and debris removal.
What is the difference between Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene?
Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene were both significant and deadly storms, but they had some key differences:
- Hurricane Milton, which reached Category 5 strength but was downgraded to Category 3 before landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, caused widespread damage and mass evacuations in Florida on October 9, 2024.
- In contrast, Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida on September 26, 2024, causing significant damage and leading to the evacuation of over 5 million people along the East Coast. It brought catastrophic rain and flooding to Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and beyond.
What is World Vision doing to help communities affected by Hurricane Milton?
Even before Milton developed in the Gulf of Mexico, we were on the ground, aiding survivors of Hurricane Helene in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. To respond to Hurricane Milton, we have delivered 26 tractor-trailers loaded with relief supplies, including baby products, cleaning kits, personal care items, water, food, and more, to our partner churches in Florida to support affected families, as of February 2025.
With the generosity of our donors and through our 20 church partnerships, we have already served 72,195 people in the impacted states of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas through our response to hurricanes Milton and Helene. Key distributions included:
- Food aid:
- Over 73,000 pounds of food (36.5 tons), including 3,466 Crisis Relief Boxes and 1,100 turkeys for holiday meals
- 18,000 gallons of water
- Christmas support:
- In December, World Vision supported eight holiday events, delivering over 20,000 toys, card games, stuffed animals, books, clothing, and other recreational items
- Rebuilding efforts:
- We’re supporting five long-term partnerships to help rebuild 150 homes with building materials, including lumber for framing, drywall and supplies, flooring, doors, bathroom fixtures (including sinks and toilets), kitchen appliances, shingles, and more.
- Grant funding: Over $250,000 has been granted to partners to help with cleanup and rebuilding efforts.
