Hamas tried to persuade Iran and Hezbollah to join October 7 attack on Israel, New York Times According to a report from The New York Times, Hamas spent over two years planning the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and attempted to involve Iran and Hezbollah in the operation. The report, based on purported minutes from secret Hamas meetings found on a computer seized by the Israeli military in Gaza in January, claims that Hamas refrained from major escalations with Israel since 2021, intending to create a false sense of security. Although Hamas initially planned to launch the attack in…
Author: Limon Ahmed
Milton spawned Florida’s strongest tornado from a tropical system in more than a half-century The EF3 tornado that hit Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on Wednesday was the most powerful tornado from a tropical system in the state in over 50 years, according to CNN’s analysis of NOAA data. The last comparable tornadoes were two F3 tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Agnes on June 19, 1972, with maximum winds between 158 and 206 mph, which align with today’s EF3 or stronger rating. In 2007, the F (Fujita) scale was replaced by the EF (Enhanced Fujita) scale for rating tornadoes. Upcoming damage surveys…
Alafia River one of many slow-motion flood disasters in Florida post-Milton Milton’s heavy rainfall across central and north Florida is causing widespread river flooding as water slowly drains toward the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. In Lithia, just east of Tampa, the Alafia River has surged about 15 feet since Wednesday night, when Milton dropped 10-18 inches of rain around the Tampa area. The river surpassed major flood stage on Thursday afternoon and continued rising to over 24 feet on Friday—the second highest level on record, and the highest since the Hurricane of 1933. While the Alafia River…
She went into labor as Milton bore down on Florida. Local deputies were there to help As Hurricane Milton approached Polk County, Florida, just outside Orlando, the local sheriff’s office received a call shortly after 3 a.m. — a woman was in labor. Due to high winds, first responders couldn’t dispatch an ambulance, so deputies were sent to the family’s home on Thursday. A deputy drove the expectant mother, Zenia, and her partner, Javier, to a nearby hospital, while another patrol car transported a relative, according to a Facebook post by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. “Later in the day,…
Governor says no new regulations needed after crane crashes into St. Petersburg building Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated Friday that the collapse of a crane into a large office building in St. Petersburg during Hurricane Milton does not indicate a need for increased regulations on construction companies to prevent similar incidents. “Do we have to regulate everything? I think most people take the cranes down,” DeSantis said during a briefing in St. Petersburg, standing in front of the crane wreckage. The crane collapsed in strong winds as Hurricane Milton made landfall, causing significant damage to the offices of the Tampa…
New deaths after Hurricane Milton are avoidable if residents take precautions, DeSantis says As Florida mourns the loss of at least 16 lives due to Hurricane Milton, Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized that further deaths from the storm’s aftermath can likely be prevented if residents follow safety warnings. Before making landfall, Milton’s outer bands triggered a series of tornadoes in St. Lucie County on Wednesday, resulting in multiple fatalities. “With tornadoes, there’s very little time to prepare. You just have to take cover and hope for the best,” DeSantis stated during a Friday news conference in St. Petersburg. “We’re now in…
“We’re going to make sure that there’s fuel,” says DeSantis amid shortages At a Friday afternoon news conference, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reassured residents that the state has ample fuel supplies, despite gas shortages in areas impacted by Hurricane Milton. “We do have a lot of fuel in the state of Florida,” he said. “There’s a million gallons of gas in state inventory and a million and a half gallons of diesel ready to be used. We’re going to make sure that there’s fuel.” DeSantis emphasized that authorities are working to distribute fuel “as fast as humanly possible” amid ongoing…
Florida is assessing the damage from Milton. Here’s what to know Milton, now a post-tropical cyclone, moved offshore after hitting Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 storm, later weakening to Category 1. The storm has resulted in nine deaths across St. Lucie, Citrus County, Ormond Beach, and St. Petersburg. Cleanup: Tornado damage in Fort Myers; a crane collapse in St. Petersburg has left streets littered with debris. St. Lucie Tornadoes: Over 100 homes damaged, some completely destroyed. Power Outages: 3.2 million still without power, though 700,000 customers have had service restored. Gas Shortages: 26% of gas stations are empty,…
70% of Pinellas County is still without power, official says As of Thursday afternoon, approximately 70% of Pinellas County remains without power following Hurricane Milton, Duke Energy’s Jeff Baker said at a news conference. He warned that the restoration process will be lengthy, with some residents potentially facing outages for a week or more. Pop St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth T. Welch reported that water service has been restored to city residents after the hurricane caused 30 water line breaks. However, a boil water notice remains in effect. He advised residents to continue boiling tap water before drinking it or using…
Teams urge fans to say safe as Milton upends the week in Florida sports The damaged roof of Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, has become one of the most vivid symbols of Hurricane Milton’s destructive impact in Florida. While recovery efforts continue on the ground, the hurricane has also significantly disrupted the state’s busy sports calendar, affecting over 10 professional teams and top collegiate programs. Here are some notable developments: The Tampa Bay Lightning have postponed their Saturday home game due to ongoing recovery efforts. The team shared the announcement on X, expressing their thoughts for those…