Hurricane Milton swept through Lakeland as a Category 2 storm late in the night on Wednesday, Oct. 9. As crews work to restore power and clear debris, here’s a look at how Milton impacted Lakeland, Polk County, and beyond after making landfall.
- 3 million — how many Floridians lost power during the storm
- 194,000+ — Polk County customers left without power
- 85,000 — Lakeland Electric customers that lost power
- 400+ — crew members working to restore power, including more than 300 from other parts of Florida + out of state
- 120+ — tornadoes that were reported throughout Florida before Milton touched down
- 86% — the share of our readers who told us they were sheltering in place during the storm; another 12% evacuated out of Lakeland
- 60% — the percentage of city traffic signals that are out of service
- 16 — Lakeland intersections the Polk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed were flooded or blocked by downed power lines
- 12 — inches of rain Lakeland got in 24 hours as Milton approached
As cleanup begins, stay up to date on storm recovery efforts, and find out who to contact for debris cleanup, mental health services, and small business assistance.
