At Least We Are Alive: Hurricane Milton Strikes Florida Retirement Complex

Photo : AP

As Hurricane Milton unleashed its fury on Florida's west coast, Lidier Rodriguez and Sandra Escalona found themselves in a desperate scramble for safety. Floodwaters from the powerful storm quickly engulfed their ground-floor apartment in a senior living facility near Tampa Bay, forcing the couple to rush upstairs, seeking refuge from the rising water.

In the midst of the chaos, Rodriguez and Escalona, both in their 50s, experienced a terrifying ordeal in a community typically known for its calm and quiet. Their senior complex, a collection of two-story apartment buildings, had become a scene of danger and urgency. Hours after the hurricane made landfall on Wednesday evening, emergency crews were still navigating the flooded streets, using boats to rescue residents trapped by the deluge. Rodriguez and Escalona watched as those same crews helped their neighbors to safety, many of whom were older and unable to escape on their own.

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The apartment complex is located in a low-lying neighborhood near Tampa Bay, an area that was not part of the mandatory evacuation zones announced by Florida officials ahead of Hurricane Milton. The sudden flooding caught many residents off guard. The neighborhood had weathered the recent Hurricane Helene without significant damage, leaving residents unprepared for the devastation brought by Milton.

“We lost everything,” said Rodriguez, originally from Cuba and a resident of Florida for 20 years. “But at least we are alive. That’s all we have left.”

Outside the complex, the aftermath of the storm was visible in the dazed expressions of the residents. Many were standing on the street, carrying whatever belongings they could salvage, including bags filled with personal items and, in some cases, their pets. The community was in shock, struggling to process the rapid turn of events and unsure of what to do next.

Escalona recalled the confusion and disbelief she felt when the water first started entering their apartment. At first, she thought a neighbor had accidentally left a faucet running. But as the water continued to rise, it became clear that something far more serious was happening.

“It all happened so fast,” she said. “The water rushed in suddenly, and it was strong, with a lot of current. We grabbed some papers and our dog and ran upstairs. We spent the night outside our neighbors’ door.”

Now, the couple is left with more questions than answers about their future. Having lived in the U.S. for nearly 20 years, they have no family nearby to rely on. “It’s not easy to go from having everything to suddenly having nothing,” Rodriguez said. “We don’t know where to go. It’s just me, her, and the dog,” he added, pointing to their chihuahua, Tito.

Despite the personal devastation experienced by many, there was a sense of relief across Florida that Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 3 storm, did not inflict the catastrophic damage officials had feared. While Milton claimed at least 11 lives, most of the fatalities occurred on the state’s east coast, far from the hurricane’s initial landfall, where tornados spun off from the storm.

In Sarasota, about 60 miles south of Clearwater and near where Milton made landfall, life was beginning to return to normal by Thursday. Emergency crews had cleared many streets before dawn, though downed trees and debris, including broken glass, still littered some areas. At the marina, a speedboat that had been thrown ashore by Milton’s winds lay crumpled against a boat rental office, a striking reminder of the storm’s power.

Dozens of residents were out surveying the damage, many taking photos with their phones. There was a shared sentiment of relief that the destruction was not as bad as anticipated. “I think it could have been a lot worse,” said a Sarasota retiree.

That same cautious optimism was echoed in Punta Gorda, a coastal town southeast of Sarasota, which had been devastated by Hurricane Ian in 2022. Though Hurricane Milton caused a storm surge that flooded seaside areas and stranded several yachts on the waterfront, many residents were thankful that the worst had been avoided. “Thank God,” said a local resident, “a lot of the houses are still in pretty good shape. It was supposed to hit us worse.”

Though Florida had prepared for far greater damage, the aftermath of Hurricane Milton was still a reminder of the unpredictable and destructive nature of these storms. As rescue operations continued, communities like the one where Rodriguez and Escalona lived now faced the daunting task of rebuilding their lives in the wake of the storm. While relief may have replaced fear for some, for others, the road to recovery was just beginning.