Florida

November 12, 2024 9:07 AM

US President-elect Trump selects Florida rep Waltz as national security adviser: Sources

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Florida representative Mike Waltz as his national security adviser, Reuters reported, citing sources on Monday. Waltz, a former Army Green Beret and a prominent critic of China, has criticized their activity in the Asia-Pacific. He also voiced the need for the United States to be ready for a potential conflict in the region. He will be responsible for briefing Trump on key national security issues and coordinating with different agencies, Reuters repo...

November 6, 2024 8:32 AM

US presidential polls: Trump wins Florida, four other states, Harris captures Massachusetts, Maryland

With the first results of the US presidential elections trickling in, the CNN exit poll has projected a win for former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump in Florida, while Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris has picked up Massachusetts, Maryland, and Vermont. Harris and Trump each need at least 270 electoral votes to win the presidency in an election that is seen as one of the most significant in recent US history. Trump, who served as the 45th president of the U...

November 5, 2024 11:26 PM

“I feel very confident”: Donald Trump after casting his ballot in Florida

Former US President and Republican candidate Donald Trump cast his ballot in Palm Beach, Florida, for the 2024 US Presidential Election on Tuesday morning, expressing high confidence in his prospects for a second term. Arriving at the polling station with his wife, Melania Trump, near their Florida residence, Trump addressed the media with a bold outlook, saying, “I feel very confident. I hear we're doing very well everywhere.” He added that this was the “best” of his three campaigns, p...

October 11, 2024 11:20 AM

Hurricane Milton death toll rises to 14 in Florida

The death toll from Hurricane Milton has climbed to at least 14 after another fatality was reported in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, according to CNN. A woman in her late 70s lost her life during post-hurricane restoration efforts when a large tree branch fell on her. The tragic incident occurred shortly after 11:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, as confirmed in a news release from the city. "Although the storm has passed, its devastation has tragically taken the life of one of our communit...

October 10, 2024 9:39 AM

Hurricane Milton marches across central Florida, destroying homes and affecting businesses

Hurricane Milton marched across central Florida on Thursday after making landfall on the state's west coast hours earlier, whipping up deadly tornadoes, destroying homes and knocking out power to nearly 2 million customers. The storm made landfall around 8:30 p.m. EDT (0030 GMT) on Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour (195 kph) near Siesta Key, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. By 11 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT), wind speeds had reduced to 105 mp...

October 9, 2024 3:09 PM

Over 1 million ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida

Floridians on Wednesday had one final day to evacuate or hunker down ahead of the Category 5 Hurricane Milton, potentially one of the most destructive ever to hit the Gulf Coast of Florida. With more than 1 million people in coastal areas under evacuation orders, those fleeing for higher ground clogged highways and gas stations ran out of fuel, further rattling a region still recovering from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago. The storm was on a collision cour...

October 8, 2024 10:32 AM

Monster hurricane Milton threatens an already battered Florida

The Category 5 Hurricane Milton was expected to grow larger on Tuesday as it threatened Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on its way to Florida, where more than a million people were ordered to evacuate from its path. The densely populated west coast of Florida, still reeling from the devastating Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago, braced for landfall on Wednesday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center projected the storm was likely to hit near the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, home to more tha...

September 30, 2024 8:52 AM

US: Hurricane Helene unleashes havoc, 93 dead & millions without power, Harris to visit affected areas

Hurricane Helene's destruction across the Southeast has left 93 people dead, millions without power, and several families stranded in floodwaters. Deaths have been reported in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit areas affected by Hurricane Helene as soon as doing so will not disrupt the emergency response to the storm that has hit the southeastern United States, a White House official said on Sunday. At leas...

September 27, 2024 10:37 AM

Hurricane Helene slams into Florida, fears of widespread damage, deaths

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region late Thursday as one of the most powerful storms to hit the state, raising fears of deaths, widespread damage and even worse floods than the severe deluge which had preceded its arrival. Helene hit Florida packing sustained winds of around 130 mph (209 kph), the National Hurricane Center said, making it a powerful Category 4 storm. Even before it made landfall, the storm had flooded the Gulf Coast and knocked out power for at least 1 m...

August 15, 2024 4:21 PM

Extreme weather drives travelers to cooler destinations this summer

Florida resident Kathy Pafunda is reading books and perusing maps to plan a Norway getaway next summer, following visits over the last two years to cool-weather destinations Alaska, Utah, Minnesota and Iceland. "We like to escape during the summer months, especially when going outside feels like taking an unpleasant bath," said the retired 69-year-old audiologist, who lives in Tampa. "Florida is hideous right now." Wildfires and heat waves this summer have pushed more travelers to take "coolca...