Milton: 16 dead and rising; $50 billion in damage – National & International News – FRI 11Oct2024

Milton: 16 dead and rising; $50 billion in damage.

Israel fires on, injures UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.

NATIONAL NEWS

Milton: 16 dead and rising; $50 billion in damage

Two days after Hurricane Milton passed through Florida, rescue and recovery efforts are still ongoing, as are damage assessments. Since the ground was already heavily saturated by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago, some areas are still waist deep in water following the heavy rains and storm surges brought by Milton. Damage is currently estimated at about $50 billion.

So far, 16 have been confirmed dead and that number is expected to rise. Many of the dead were in St Lucie County on Florida’s East Coast, which was struck by several tornadoes hours before Milton ever came ashore. According to early reports, around 20 tornadoes were confirmed to have touched down in the state. Videos and the damage left behind showed that these tornadoes were unusually powerful compared to most hurricane-spawned tornadoes.

Many thousands of Floridians have been displaced either by flooding or by tornadoes, wind damage, or trees falling on their house. Airbnb has offered free temporary housing to Floridians who have been displaced by the storm. Residents can inquire at 211.org. As of this writing, over 2 million Florida customers are still without power. There are about 50,000 crew members working to get power restored. 

Governor Ron DeSantis has warned residents to be cautious around flood waters, since it is not clear what is in them that could be dangerous. Standing water conceals many hidden dangers such as fallen power lines, other debris, as well as biohazards like sewage and noxious chemicals.

Thousands of Florida gas stations are currently without fuel, especially those in the worst hit areas. Most of Florida’s gas supply comes in through Tampa’s port. While Tampa averted a direct hit, much of the area is still without power, including the port. The terminals must be operational to offload gas from tankers which are incoming. It is estimated that it will be at least Sunday before those terminals are up and running. 

Several of Florida’s theme parks have reopened Friday, including Disney world, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios.

President Biden has called for Congress to authorize more funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell stressed that the agency has enough funds for immediate needs. However, the agency will require a supplemental before the year is out to meet the recovery needs of those who have been affected by disasters this year, including hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

It is not clear when or whether Congress will reconvene. They are currently on recess until after the November 5 election. Neither speaker of the House Mike Johnson nor Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer have suggested publicly that they are considering calling a special session.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Israel fires on, injures UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

Two days in a row, Israel’s invading army in Lebanon has fired on the positions of UN peacekeeping missions in what is known as the Blue Line. The Blue Line was established in 2006 following the last major Israeli Lebanese conflict. The posts are maintained by Unifil (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) as a demilitarized zone between Israel and Lebanon. 

When Israel commenced its invasion of Lebanon last week, it ordered UN peacekeepers to leave. Israel has no authority to order UN peacekeepers to abandon their posts, and Unifil has not withdrawn its troops.

Two Indonesian peacekeepers were wounded yesterday when Israeli forces fired a tank round into their observation tower. Israeli forces also fired on two other Unifil outposts on Thursday, and today they attacked a Unifil headquarters building.

Israel’s attacks on these UN outposts have not only endangered the lives of peacekeepers, but also prevented them from carrying out their duties. Peacekeepers are there to monitor the situation on the ground, which is difficult because they are now huddling in their bases for safety. Unifil peacekeepers have also been rendering humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of people in the border area. Of the 500,000 people who live in southern Lebanon, about 350,000 have fled north. Some have remained by choice and many are unable to leave. 

Northern Gaza under siege

Meanwhile in Gaza, Israeli forces killed at least 61 people today, most of them in attacks in the North. Israeli is currently trying to depopulate and turn into a closed military zone. Since this offensive began last week, at least 130 people have been killed. No humanitarian aid of any kind is being allowed into the north. Israeli forces are now besieging several population centers in the north, where as many as 400,000 people are sheltering. This includes the towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, as well as the Jabalia refugee camp.

According to Doctors without borders coordinator Sarah Vuylsteke Israeli forces essentially have the Jabalia refugee camp under siege. “Nobody is allowed to get in or out; anyone who tries is getting shot”. Among the thousands trapped inside the camp – facing starvation, Israeli snipers, and aerial bombardment – are five Doctors Without Borders workers.  

Israeli forces fired on a school in Jabalia which has been sheltering displace people. At least 20 people were killed.