By Robert Nowinski
Hurricane Milton is a category 3 storm that is set to hit Florida at speeds of 115 mph. It could also retain its momentum, and, with a route of the Atlantic, it would miss the other states hit by Hurricane Helene. Helene killed at least 230 people with its rampage of death and destruction.
Speaking of Helene, the town of Punta Gorda was hit by it. The town was also hit by Ian and Charley, but it was mostly wind damage. The town was flooded and many buildings had their first floors completely full of water. According to Scott Joiner, a resident for at least 17 years, “Water is a blessing to have, but it is very deadly.” The town hasn’t had enough time to repair, so with Milton on the way, it could make it worse and increase the damage that was dealt by Helene.
In terms of relief aid, they are only getting $750 per household. In comparison, according to the DoD, “$2.4 billion in support [was sent] through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.” Right now, according to an article by Newsweek, “The average home insurance premium in Florida is $3,242 more expensive than the national average of $2,285. In some areas, costs can climb to an excess of $8,000. The state average is second only to Nebraska, where the average premium on a $300,000 home is $5,652.”
People are paying a lot, and it makes sense with all the damage that has happened recently. The insurance company Citizens Property Insurance Corporation will allow 10 private insurance carriers to take on 413,808 policies from Citizens beginning in late October, and a further 235,035 were approved for removal beginning in November.
With all of this, Florida isn’t the best place to be right now. We can only hope that the people living in Florida will not suffer a ton of damage and will survive with minimal losses or a higher death toll.
beniciapaw.com 