Darkness fell as the storm hit Florida’s Gulf Coast, bringing deadly tornadoes and heavy flooding. Millions lost power, and many communities were left in ruins.
Hurricane Milton, a strong Category 3 storm, made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, Florida, on October 9, around 8:30 in the evening.
With winds over 120 miles per hour and heavy rain, the hurricane caused major damage. More than 1.1 million homes and businesses lost power, especially in Sarasota, Manatee, and Hardee counties.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) posted on Facebook, urging people to stay inside and remain alert.
As the hurricane approached, tornadoes tore through St. Lucie County, causing severe damage and deaths. Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed “multiple fatalities” in a senior community near Fort Pierce.
The exact number of deaths is still unknown as rescue teams search for survivors. “They are listening for life,” Pearson said, describing efforts to find people in the wreckage.
St. Lucie County has suffered massive destruction. County spokesman Erick Gill said, “Dozens of homes have been damaged, some with catastrophic damage.”
Statewide, about 125 homes were destroyed, mostly in senior mobile home communities, according to FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie. Emergency workers are working nonstop to help those affected.
Governor Ron DeSantis said the storm caused 116 tornado warnings across the state, with 19 tornadoes confirmed. The damage from Hurricane Milton is widespread.
In St. Petersburg, a rare rainfall event occurred, with over nine inches of rain in just three hours. This was more rain than the city usually gets in three months.
An advisory on October 10 from the National Weather Service warned of flash floods in parts of west-central Florida. Strong winds also continued to hit the east coast.
By 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time, St. Petersburg had winds of 48 mph, with gusts up to 79 mph. Orlando recorded winds of 46 mph, with gusts of 74 mph, and Cape Canaveral had winds of 52 mph, with gusts up to 67 mph.
In 1965, a powerful warning was broadcast to the world; 54 years later, it has unfortunately become a reality.
Paul Harvey, the iconic news commentator and radio pioneer, captivated millions of Americans with his unique delivery style, reaching over 24 million listeners at his peak. His words always carried weight, but no one could have predicted just how prophetic one of his speeches would become.
Today, when I reread his famous broadcast from 1965, I was struck by how eerily relevant it is to our present times.
The speech, titled “If I Were the Devil,” was first aired on April 3, 1965. In it, Harvey imagines what he would do if he were the Devil, detailing a cunning strategy to lead society astray. Sadly, many of the warnings he issued back then reflect the very struggles we face today.
EVERYONE should listen to this. Paul Harvey was alarmingly accurate 54 years ago.
In his fictional narrative, Harvey, as the Devil, outlines how he would whisper lies to people, corrupt young minds, and undermine moral foundations. He speaks of a world where values are flipped upside down, where faith is diminished, and materialism reigns. He envisions a society where chaos spreads through drugs, media, and weakening family bonds.
Listening to it again, it’s hard not to feel a chill as you realize how much of what he predicted has come to pass.
I grew up hearing Paul Harvey on the radio with my mom in the 1970s, and now, more than ever, his words seem to ring true. Everything he warned of 54 years ago seems to be happening now
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