00:00Flash flood warnings were issued in western and central Florida by officials due to a combination of persistent rain and a powerful storm surge.
00:09As daylight dwindled, storm surge along the western Florida coast started to increase,
00:15and Hurricane Milton made landfall with damaging winds and heavy rains that raised the possibility of significant flooding.
00:22Shortly after Milton Center touched down close to Sarasota,
00:26flood gauges along the coast at Fort Myers and Naples Bay showed rapidly rising water levels.
00:32Forecasters issued a warning about the potentially fatal surge, which was predicted to reach up to 13 feet in some places,
00:40such as Boca Grande on the westernmost tip of the peninsula.
00:44The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states that storm surge refers to the sudden, dramatic rise in water levels that occurs during a storm.
00:54Forecasters had earlier warned that a dangerous storm surge combined with the tide
01:00will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.
01:07An uncommon alert known as a flash flood emergency,
01:10which is issued in situations where flooding is predicted to cause significant harm and endanger human life,
01:16was issued by authorities in Tampa Bay.
01:19Since storm surge has been linked to several fatalities in previous storms,
01:23officials have focused especially on it in relation to this hurricane.
01:27For instance, storm surge was blamed for 41 deaths during Hurricane Ian in 2022.
01:34Pictures shared on social media prior to Milton's arrival showed the beginning of the impending flood,
01:40with water starting to lap over roads and sidewalks.
01:44In certain videos, the light from buildings rushed across streets and into buildings,
01:49reflecting brilliantly off the water against the night's darkness.
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