**Residents Return to Florida After Hurricane Milton's Wrath**

Florida residents who evacuated to escape the ferocity of Hurricane Milton are slowly making their way back home, navigating crowded highways while dreading the cleanup that awaits them. Nevertheless, they are grateful to have survived. "I love my house, but I'm not dying in it," said Fred Neuman Friday as he walked his dog near an Interstate 75 rest stop north of Tampa.

Neuman and his wife, who reside in Siesta Key, heeded evacuation orders before Milton struck as a Category 3 hurricane. They drove nearly 500 miles to Destin in the Florida Panhandle. Though their neighbors informed them that the hurricane had decimated their carport and caused other damage, Neuman remained optimistic that their insurance would cover the losses.

In Zephyrhills, about 30 miles north, a CBS News crew joined the Pasco County Fire Rescue as they navigated floodwaters to ensure residents' safety. "These are all brand new homes," a rescuer remarked, pointing out that newer constructions were built at a higher elevation. Nevertheless, for older homes in the area, the repeated battering from hurricanes Debby, Helene, and now Milton has taken a significant toll.

Lee and Pamela Essenburm, who evacuated from Palmetto at the southern end of Tampa Bay, were particularly concerned about Milton potentially escalating to a Category 4 or 5 storm. Assistance is expected to include grants for temporary housing, home repairs, and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses.

Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc, killing at least 23 people as it traversed central Florida on Wednesday. The storm flooded barrier islands, tore off the roof of the Tampa Bay Rays' baseball stadium, and spawned a slew of deadly tornadoes. Officials credited widespread evacuations for mitigating further loss of life. The recent devastation brought by Hurricane Helene two weeks earlier likely served as a stark reminder of the region's vulnerability, prompting more residents to evacuate.

According to Find Energy, around 1.6 million customers in Florida were still without power on Saturday morning, with the White House reporting that 50,000 workers from across the U.S. were laboring to restore it. "This is ridiculous. We need power out here. We need help out here," said Mia Watson of Palm Beach Gardens.

By contrast, Tony Brazzale, a diving boat captain from Wellington in southeastern Florida, initially didn't worry about Milton, as the storm's path was projected to affect areas far north of his home. However, on Wednesday, he witnessed a tornado forming above his house. As the tornado hit, it smashed windows, ripped off roof shingles, and uprooted a tree, leaving debris scattered across his yard.

Milton not only brought devastation at the point of landfall near Sarasota but also spawned dozens of tornadoes throughout South Florida. One tornado claimed six lives in Spanish Lakes Country Club Village near Fort Pierce. Preliminary data from meteorologists indicate at least 38 tornadoes may have been associated with Milton, and the National Weather Service issued 126 tornado warnings on the day the hurricane struck.

Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to remain vigilant, warning of residual safety threats like downed power lines and standing water, which could conceal hazards. "We're now in the period where you have fatalities that are preventable," DeSantis cautioned. "You have to make the proper decisions and know that there are hazards out there."