Locals and emergency responders are only just beginning to assess the total damage incurred from Hurricane Milton, but one early example of the historic storm’s intensity is already on clear display. In the early hours of October 10th, extreme weather documentarian Brandon Clement uploaded nine minutes of ground and drone footage that showcased the destructive effects of 100 mph sustained winds on St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field, home to MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays.
As local news outlet WFLA explained on Thursday, the baseball team’s home field was topped by fabric paneling that served as its roofing, an estimated two-thirds of which is now either shredded or gone completely. It’s currently unclear if Tropicana Field suffered serious interior damage, but Clement’s aerial images reveal substantial amounts of debris scattering the field, stands, and surrounding areas that includes what appears to be hundreds of cots. City officials previously intended to use the Rays’ stadium as a hub for emergency worker coordinating efforts, but it’s unclear how the facility’s current state will affect response logistics in the coming days.
Additional footage from Clement showcases flash floods flowing past stalled cars in Tampa, storm surges entering businesses and homes, and even a prop plane flipped completely upside down at an airfield in Venice. An estimated 3.3 million Floridians were reportedly without power as of Thursday morning, while President Biden announced the pre-deployment of thousands of federal workers to the state, including 1,000 Coast Guard members.
If you’d like to donate to recovery efforts for both Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, here are a few options:
- Direct Relief: Aids communities in gathering and distributing medical supplies
- World Central Kitchen: Deploys Rapid Relief Field Kitchens to disaster areas
- Save the Children: Distributes hygiene and other infant emergency supplies to families in need
- Humane Society of the United States: Helps rescue and reunite animals with families