As of Monday, October 14, at least 24 people had perished as a result of Hurricane Milton’s widespread devastation and flooding, as per the Florida Dept of Law Enforcement. The number has changed as search and rescue activities reach more individuals in remote or difficult-to-reach locations, and first responders follow up on the emergency calls that were unanswered during the storm.
According to the FDLE, local authorities decide if a death is storm-related, and they have the authority to modify their decision in light of newly revealed cause-of-death evidence. Less than two weeks had passed since Hurricane Helene made landfall in the state, killing at least 228 people in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, in addition to 27 in Florida.