NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Episode Date: October 10, 2024

Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida's Gulf Coast, spawns tornadoes; Sarasota braces for potential direct hit from Milton; Many in Ft. Myers evacuate ahead of expected storm surge; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight from the storm zone in Florida, the eye wall from Hurricane Milton moving onshore here on the state's west coast. Milton battering Florida's west coast, unleashing a terrifying tornado outbreak as it closes in. A massive police facility collapsing, the hurricane growing in size, now a major category three storm with 120 mile per hour winds and expected to bring flooding rains, damaging winds and up to 13 feet of life-threatening storm surge. President Biden warning it looks like the storm of a century. Hundreds of thousands already without power. Millions urge or order to evacuate. The

highway jammed, many gas stations running out of fuel. The National Weather Service warning now is the time to shelter in place. Al Roker with a new track as we come on the air. Also tonight, the storm impacting the race for the White House. FEMA racing to reassure those in Milton's path on the heels of the devastation from Hurricane Haleid. Kamala Harris slamming Donald Trump over the misinformation he's spreading about the storm. Our full team coverage here in Florida begins now. This is NBC Nightly News reporting tonight from Florida's Gulf Coast. Here is Lester Holt. Good evening from Tampa. Hurricane Milton

is here. The eye of the storm still making its way to Florida's west coast. But Milton is already making its arrival heard with a terrifying outbreak of possible tornadoes. Much of it captured on video. One in Wellington, Florida, seen crossing the highway, damaged at least 20 homes. A sheriff's office in St. Lucie County, badly damaged, and most of the state right now under tornado watches. Where I am, we've been seeing tropical storm wind gusts for the last couple of hours. The rain is pouring in torrents here. Very big worries about flooding.

The storm has dropped down to a Category 3 in strength with sustained winds of 120 miles per hour. Expected to hit the Florida Peninsula still as a major hurricane in a very short time from now, and will generate a life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet in places. Sail drone video, this is shared by NOAA, showed waves in excess of 28 feet and wind gusts over 75 miles per hour. 40 nautical miles in the storm center. 12 million Floridians are under flood watches tonight as we head into this evening and conditions are getting so bad in some areas that first responders have had to pause operations. Marissa Parra is also here in Tampa, not far from me. Marissa, what are you seeing? Lester, it is hard to miss the rain bands and the wind gusts all around me. You can probably see behind me just how furiously that wind is blowing those trees over there,

those very tall palm trees leaning precariously at the side sometimes. And it has really changed over the last hour. It was not looking like this even an hour ago. If you try to look past those trees, it's actually getting progressively harder to see the words on the sign behind. And that is what we're seeing is this conditions. This is deteriorating on the ground. We're seeing debris flying around. And this is the reason why Governor Ron DeSantis said within the hour, he's saying it is simply too dangerous to evacuate safely. He says,

hunker down because this storm is simply too dangerous at the moment. And Lester, I know you've seen this. St. Petersburg and the Tampa area, those mandatory evacuation zones, they are a ghost town. Shelters are swelling up. In fact, at that same press conference, we heard close to 100,000 people estimated to be in those shelters around the state of Florida. Here where we are in Hillsborough County, we know that six of the roughly two dozen shelters are at full capacity. And Lester, I will point one thing out. We have seen branches starting to fly. We went further out that way. We're getting knocked around by the wind. The lights have been flickering. Half a million people without power in Florida. We might be among them soon. Lester? All right, Marissa, thanks very much. We believe in an honor in a covered area right now. So I'm not getting the full brunt of this storm, but I'm getting

plenty. Certainly the water, the wind being mitigated somewhat by the situation we've set ourselves in here to remain safe. I want to go to my colleague Tom Yamas now in Sarasota. Tom, the eyewall has been approaching Sarasota tonight. The word now is that the hurricane has just made landfall. Can you describe what you're seeing? Yeah, right now, Lester, we're in the middle of an incredible weather phenomenon. We are what appears to be in the eye of Hurricane Milton right now, and that's why it's absolutely calm here. There are no hurricane force winds. There's not even rain right now. We essentially are in a calm night in Sarasota, but it's not going to last now. We essentially are in a calm night in

Sarasota, but it's not going to last this long. On the backside of Hurricane Milton, we're going to get the most powerful hurricane force winds that Sarasota has experienced in years. That is still a few minutes away, but you can see behind me here, absolute darkness, just homes that have and hotels that have generators. I'm going to get out of the street because now that we are actually in the eye wall, people are coming out. They're coming out of their SUVs and their pickup trucks and they're doing donuts in different parts of Sarasota. We've been avoiding these trucks and these cars that are just driving around. From what police have told us, that's illegal. You shouldn't be on the street right now. In fact, police aren't even on the street right now because

the wind conditions were too severe. They pulled their emergency response off until after the storm. So these people know that and they come out here and they're driving recklessly. It's one of the dangers right now. But again, because we're in the eye of the storm, Lester, this is incredible. Just, you know, maybe 20 minutes ago, we were feeling those hurricane force winds and now absolutely nothing. And then maybe in 20 or 30 minutes, we're going to feel that hurricane once again. They have cut off access to the barrier islands. It's just too dangerous. We're also waiting for that storm surge. The bay, you can't see it because it's too dark. It's maybe about 100

yards from here. They're expecting that storm surge to push the bay into Sarasota. But again, that's going to happen over the next few hours. We're going to know much more when the sun rises tomorrow. Lester. All right, Tom, amazing. We're not all that far from each other. And what a different world we're living in right now is that I passes over. We've been following the shifting track of the storm all evening. Al Roker joins us now. Al, again, it just made landfall. You saw Tom there in relative calm. That's right. It happened at Siesta Key, Lester. And so now it is making its way to the northeast, 15 miles per hour with 120 mile per hour winds. And right now you can see Siesta Key is the spot. Landfall. Now it will continue to make its way across the state between Orlando and Melbourne as a Category 1 storm eventually and then out. Now, as far as the winds are concerned, we are talking right now, observed wind gusts 59 in

Tampa, 47 mile per hour in Sarasota, Gainesville 31. We're expecting upwards of 129 mile per hour wind gusts in Sarasota, Lakeland, Orlando 61 miles, Captiva 63. And then the storm surge anywhere from 6 to 9 feet around Tampa, Sarasota 9 to to 13 feet, Fort Myers Beach, 8 to 12 feet. And on the other side of the system, we're looking right now, Fort Myers, 3.6 foot storm surge, Maples Bay North, 4.5 feet. That's so it's just beginning. The storm surge just starting. And again, with the heavy rain, we are going to be talking about upwards of 18 inches of rain before this is all over. So flooding is going to be a major problem.

Lester? All right, Al, thanks very much. They are bracing for a major storm surge in Fort Myers. That's also south of where I am. Sam Brock is there. Sam, it has already been a very dangerous day there. Sure has, Lester. Tornadic activity, at least one reported tornado by the

weather service here in Fort Myers. But as you mentioned, the storm surge all lies right now on the Caloosahatchee River behind me. That river has basically reached street level at this point as you're looking at some of the images of damage from that tornado. There are a half dozen emergency services right now, the cities that control them, Lester, that have suspended going out and trying to save people. The reason being that once you get to 45 miles an hour or faster of sustained winds, they say it's just too fast. We cannot do it. In Lee County, where we are right now, deputies at last check are actually still out there on the streets. There are 800,000 people who live here. About 400,000 of them are under mandatory evacuations. That extends

all the way west about 10 miles to those barrier islands like Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island. You'll remember a couple of years ago for Hurricane Ian, they were absolutely decimated, Lester. You had boats, yachts that were rising up 15, 20 feet above electric poles. So that's the kind of thing we're thinking about right now is they're just now trying to rebuild. Lester, back to you. All right, Sam Brock, thank you for that account. The coastal parts of Florida, not the only ones that will be hit hard by the storm. Earlier inland, Orlando could face more than a foot of rain and major flooding. Priscilla Thompson is there for us tonight. Priscilla, tell us what you're seeing.

Lester, here in Orlando, the wind is starting to pick up and already we are seeing water beginning to pool on some of these roads. And officials are saying that now is the time for people to shelter if they are not already before the worst of this storm moves in. Across the city, we have seen businesses closing early, including major theme parks like Universal and Disney. And as you may remember, during Hurricane Ian, Orlando saw devastating flooding and Milton is expected to be far worse with up to 14 inches of rain in some areas, which is expected to cause a catastrophic flash flooding. The city is also bracing for up to 80 mile per hour winds here and is currently under a tornado watch. Now, county officials say they distributed more than 200,000 sandbags, and they have also been working to lower the levels in bodies of water here. And they're also pre-positioning pumps so that they're able to get that water

out. Tonight, residents here tell us they are prepared, but still worried. Lester. Priscilla Thompson, thank you. And as this monster storm began to batter Florida's coast earlier today, my team and I were out in it as the race to save lives entered its final hours. Tonight, Hurricane Milton on a collision course with Florida's Gulf Coast, unleashing rain, 120 mile per hour winds, and a destructive outbreak of reported tornadoes, this one jumping the interstate, while a massive tornado appeared to tear across Fort Pierce. This video shows a likely twister ripping through a front yard in Fort Myers. Officials say at least 20 homes were damaged in St. Lucie. About 10 minutes ago, a tornado came ripping through here.

This is a devastating tornado. It took out that 10,000 square foot red iron building. And now drenching rain and powerful winds are bearing down. Power is out for hundreds of thousands. Emergency services already suspended in several counties. The storm is here. It's time for everybody to hunker down. I know we've got massive amounts of resources that have been prepared for this storm. And conditions are expected to continue to deteriorate. It's around 1045 in the morning. We're already seeing the first signs of flooding here along Treasure Island, Sunset Beach

specifically. But what I really wanted to show you was this image. If you squint your eyes, you almost feel like you're looking at the aftermath of, say, a New England blizzard. It's not snow, of course, it's sand. This sand was driven off the beach during Hurricane Helene, literally burying cars and parts of houses. This is why folks are so concerned about the power of storm surge, that it can do that, lift all that sand and dump it here in the street. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor hopes her city will be spared the worst, but storm surge remains her biggest fear. As you've seen, the area is saturated completely. We just can't take that storm surge because it comes into Tampa Bay, there's nowhere for it to go. And then power is going to be a big deal. Power is going to be a

huge deal. Today, with the clock ticking down towards landfall, crews raced to clear more debris from Helene, and hospitals made last-minute preparations. It's looking like the storm of the century. Several shelters reporting they are at capacity, but many are staying with loved ones. At a gas station in Orlando, NBC's Priscilla Thompson met Terry Burke clutching her rosary. Her home in St. Pete was ripped apart by Helene. We lost everything. Her home was devastated. It's awful, right? Now she's had to evacuate two hours away to stay with family.

I think it's just cumulative, you know? You start to fall out and you get pretty overwhelmed. As we drove through Tampa today, we found only a few people remaining stocking up on essentials. Are you sticking around here? No, I'm going to higher ground, a nice stable house that has a generator already installed. The mayor of nearby Treasure Island, Tyler Payne, says he's relieved so many in his community also heeded the warnings. Properties can be replaced. We can rebuild. But saving people's lives is, of course, the most important thing.

Tonight, his is among the communities bracing for the worst. These are kind of anxious minutes and hours right now. What's going through your mind? Yeah, I don't know. My mind is fried from just going through a huge storm and preparing for it. It's really surreal to be staring this down, just feeling for our residents that have already gone through so much loss and now having to prepare for it again is just unfathomable. Yeah, that note of resignation is one I heard from a lot of people we've talked

to the last couple of days. They've been through so much. And they said to me, they said that was a glancing blow we got from Helene a couple of weeks ago. This is a much more direct and more powerful blow. In 60 seconds, it's not just the physical damage people are so worried about here in Florida. Look at the financial pain so many now face as insurance rates go through the roof. Right after this. In addition to the lives at risk and the potential devastation, Hurricane Milton could have another impact, disrupting Florida's already difficult market for home and flood insurance. Stephanie Goss joins me now. Stephanie, we are really feeling the wrath of the storm now,

and that's bad news for homeowners. Yeah, it absolutely is, Lester. You know, Hurricane Helene was really a water event. And as you say, we are feeling what Hurricane Milton is right now. It is wind and it is water. And that means that those insurance claims could be complicated and large. In the middle of Hurricane Helene. We saw the water come into the house. We immediately filed the claims. ER pediatrician Dr. Megan Martin was already worried about insurance, showing the damage to her home on social media. And now you have Milton barreling in. Luckily as an ER doctor, you know, when the crisis hits, that's when I go into my focus mode.

This is what her St. Petersburg, Florida neighborhood looks like after Halim. What have your premiums been like in recent years? We've lived in our house for eight years, and both our homeowners and our flood premiums have tripled in the time that we've lived there. Florida residents pay the highest premiums in the country, average nearly eleven thousand dollars annually for homeowners insurance Flood insurance is separate and it's not going to pay for everything. Dr. Martin says she is covered for twenty five thousand dollars But facing seventy five thousand in damage and that's all before Milton hits her neighborhood is facing a complicated thicket of claims Helene was a water event Milton is going to be a wind

and a water event. Different insurance covers different things. How are they going to determine what was damaged by which storm? Hurricane Ian from two years ago may be an indication of what homeowners are up against. After massive damage on Florida's west coast, a Washington Post investigation found that some policyholders received less than 20 percent of what they claimed in damages. Some insurers have even pulled out of Florida altogether. The director for the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University says the insurance market is under pressure due to climate change. We're seeing hurricanes intensifying more quickly, carrying more rainfall. And unless we get ahead of that, there's really no possibility of creating an insurance market when you're constantly being

battered and having to have record payouts. Fixes, he says, include changing where and how buildings are constructed. But that's not going to help Dr. Martin now. You have to brace yourself for the storm and then you have to brace yourself for higher premiums. Yeah, we're going to be pricing ourselves out of this community, unfortunately. There is state backed insurance here in Florida. It's sometimes called the insurance of last resort. But even those premiums are going up. They could go up as much as double digits, Lester. All right, Stephanie, thank you for that.

We're going to take a short break and then how this volatile hurricane season is making for a stormy campaign trail. Separating fact from fiction is next. We turn now to the political storm over disaster relief and the federal government's response to these hurricanes, with Vice President Harris criticizing former President Trump again. Here's Gabe Gutierrez. With Hurricane Milton churning in the Gulf, tonight President Biden is ramping up his criticism of misinformation ahead of the storm. It's un-American. It's not who the hell we are. Meanwhile, former President Trump in Battleground, Pennsylvania today, attacking Vice President Harris. She's just led the worst rescue operation

in history in North Carolina. An intensifying political storm as both presidential campaigns bat over federal disaster relief. They had no money. You know where they gave the money? To illegal immigrants coming in. That's false. FEMA says that more than a billion dollars it distributed to shelter migrants is from a different government program, not disaster relief. Harris on a late night show slamming Trump for pushing misinformation. And it's crude. Have you no empathy, man? No, for the suffering of other people. The former president also falsely says FEMA will only give storm survivors $750, Trump's claims drawing pushback from other Republicans. Those rumors are totally

unsubstantiated. Still, North Carolina Congressman Chuck Edwards says there are legitimate questions about FEMA's response. It was more than three days before we ever saw the first folks in here from FEMA. Though several governors now say the feds have provided the aid they need, some survivors are still desperate for FEMA's help. Why aren't they here? Why aren't they helping the people that need it? Ahead of Hurricane Milton, a federal watchdog tells NBC News that FEMA staffing is running on a razor's edge. For example, of the more than 1,200 workers who specialize in disaster recovery assistance,

just three are listed as available. But the FEMA administrator insists the agency can handle multiple disasters, saying it has a layered staffing approach. Lester? All right, Gabe Gutierrez, thank you. We'll take a break here when we're back then with Al Roker and a late update on the path of Milton. That's next. Before we leave you tonight, we want to check in with Al Roker for one last look at the forecast as Hurricane Milton roars ashore.

What's the latest? That's right. Siesta Key, Leicester, is the spot. It has made landfall and now is making its way across the state. 120 mile per hour winds moving northeast at 15 miles per hour, pushes through and then makes its way out the eastern coast of Florida sometime late tomorrow morning. And then it's gone. But in the meantime, we've got winds to deal with. So far, we've seen 64 mile per hour wind gusts at Tampa, Sarasota as well. Those will go up. And then we're looking at storm surges anywhere from 9 to 13 feet from Sarasota to Fort Myers. And of course, we're looking at major flooding with 18 inches of rain possible. Lester? All right, Al, thank you. That is nightly news for this Wednesday. Join for extended hurricane

coverage all night on NBC News Now. Thank you for watching, everyone. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. And good night from Tampa.