Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Michael Gets an Upgrade to Rare Category 5 Status
MIAMI—Hurricane Michael, which devastated a swath of the Florida Panhandle last fall, was actually stronger than initially measured, prompting forecasters to upgrade it from a Category 4 storm to a Category 5 storm, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced on April 19. The upgraded status means Michael was the first hurricane to make landfall […]
3 Linemen Mowed Down in Florida While Restoring Power After Hurricane Michael
Three linemen working on restoring power in Florida after Hurricane Michael were hit by a car, killing all three. The driver, later identified as 37-year-old John Goedtke of Tampa, was charged with DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and leaving the scene of an accident, reported ABC 13. The three linemen were identified as 60-year-old James Ussery […]
10 Days After Hurricane, Football Offers a Welcome Escape
PANAMA CITY, Fla.—Castor Gay knew his life had changed the moment he watched his back fence disappear into the howling wind and water started pouring from his ceiling. Mike Maddox sensed the same thing when he packed into a tiny pantry closet with his mom, brother, and five dogs while his house shook. Hurricane Michael delivered […]
Tents Erected at Florida’s Tyndall Air Force Base, Struck by Hurricane Michael
Tents have been erected at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael. Military personnel erected the tents on Tuesday, Oct. 16, the same day officials told residents, which include military members and civilian employees as well as their families, that they could return to the base to check their […]
Virginia Firefighter Lost Leg in Crash That Killed Colleague During Hurricane Michael
A Virginia firefighter lost his leg in a crash that killed one of his colleagues during Hurricane Michael, which by that point had been downgraded to a tropical storm. A tractor-trailer struck a fire truck that Lt. Brad Clark and three other firefighters were standing next to on the shoulder of I-295 in central Virginia […]
More Dead Expected in Destroyed Florida Panhandle Towns After Michael
MEXICO BEACH, Fla.—Dozens of people remained missing on Oct. 14 in Florida Panhandle communities reduced to ruins by Hurricane Michael as rescuers said they expected the death toll to rise and survivors grappled with power outages and shortages of food and water. Already at least 18 deaths in four states have been blamed on the hurricane […]
11-Year-Old Girl Killed by Hurricane Michael Was Visiting Grandparents
The 11-year-old girl killed by Hurricane Michael was visiting her grandparents in southwest Georgia, near the border with Florida, when she died. Officials had said previously she was killed on Oct. 10 in Seminole County after the high winds picked up a mobile carport and slammed it through the roof of her house. Family members […]
Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Molesting Child at Hurricane Michael Evacuation Center
A 60-year-old Florida man was arrested on Oct. 11 for allegedly molesting a girl under 12 years old at Davidson Middle School in Crestview, a Hurricane Michael evacuation center. John Stapleton was charged with lewd and lascivious molestation of someone under 12 years old. A witness told Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies that she saw a […]
11-Year-Old Georgia Girl, Florida Man Killed by Hurricane Michael
Two deaths were confirmed as caused by Hurricane Michael, as the storm was downgraded after inflicting widespread destruction in Florida and some surrounding states as a Category 4 hurricane. The hurricane killed at least two people in the United States, officials said, after leaving 13 people dead in Central America earlier in the week. Authorities […]
Hurricane Michael Downgraded Hits Georgia as Cat 3 , First Death Reported
PANAMA CITY, Florida—The first death on the U.S. mainland has been reported after Hurricane Michael claimed 13 lives in Central America earlier in the week. Authorities say a Florida Panhandle man was killed by a falling tree as Hurricane Michael tore through the state. Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Anglie Hightower says they received a […]
Video Shows Flash Flooding in St. Petersburg as Hurricane Michael Approaches Florida
New video footage shows flash flooding in St. Petersburg as Hurricane Michael approaches Florida, with a projected landfall on Wednesday, Oct. 10. The Oct. 9 footage shows flash flooding in the city as the National Hurricane Center warned of a “life-threatening storm surge” as the hurricane approached land, with 9 to 13 feet of inundation […]
Hurricane Michael Menaces Florida After Killing 13 in Central America
Florida’s governor mobilized National Guard troops and thousands of Gulf Coast residents were ordered evacuated on Oct. 8, two days before Hurricane Michael was forecast to slam ashore with life-threatening waves, winds and rains. Michael was packing sustained winds of up to 85 miles per hour (140 kph) and gaining strength as it skirted past […]
Florida Residents Put Down Sandbags Ahead of Hurricane Michael Landfall
Some Florida residents began putting down sandbags ahead of Hurricane Michael‘s projected landfall on Oct. 10. The city of Tallahassee, Leon County, and Tampa Bay were among the areas where government workers were providing sandbags. Sandbag Locations Eight locations in Leon County were outfitted with sand, bags, and ties as of Oct. 8, reported WCTV. […]