A British expat delivering aid to tourists stuck in hotels in Florida has described Hurricane Milton as the worst storm he has seen in 25 years. The category 3 storm made landfall on Wednesday night with winds exceeding 100mph. Phil Peachey, originally from west London, has been living in Orlando for 25 years and has been assisting in providing water and supplies to visitors left stranded due to the severe weather conditions.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Phil Peachey expressed, “This (storm) is very much the worst I’ve ever seen. The winds this morning at around 4am… I live on a golf course and we’ve got some big trees here and I mean these trees were bending in half.” Mr. Peachey, who operates a small transport company catering to British tourists, highlighted a lack of support for holidaymakers during such emergencies.
He mentioned, “Unfortunately, things have changed since the days when tour operators had reps here looking after people. So really, what happens is when these poor tourists on these package holidays arrive, they have no clue of what to do in case of an emergency like this, they don’t know where to shop. No one tells them anything… they couldn’t buy water or anything for the kids. So I just loaded up the truck, went to the storeroom and bought a load of water.”
Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders across 15 Florida counties affecting approximately 7.2 million people. Orange County, where Mr. Peachey resides, is under a state of emergency with residents advised to prepare for evacuations if conditions worsen, amid an increased risk of tornadoes and heavy rainfall.
Hurricane Milton has already caused at least four deaths and left more than three million homes and businesses without power. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) recommended that travellers monitor approaching storms on the US National Hurricane Centre website and adhere to instructions from local authorities, including evacuation orders.
Fellow British expat Jan, residing in Palmetto on Florida’s west coast, shared her experience as the storm ripped tiles from her roof, causing power outages and chaos. With no internet and uncertainty about power restoration, residents like Jan are bracing themselves for the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. Amidst the chaos and destruction, these British expats are showcasing resilience and support for those affected by the natural disaster.