TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — One university professor, who lives in Florida, shares his experience of dealing with Hurricane Milton.
Milton hit some part of Florida as a category 3 storm. According to a report made by CBS, there have been at least 16 deaths and millions of people are without power right now.
Chris Stagl, is a professor of graphic design at Troy University. He lives in the South St. Augustine Beach area where residents were told to lock down and many people even began making preparations before the storm.
Stagl tried finding gas only to discover at least 4 nearby stations were already out.
”It was kind of controlled pandemonium,” Stagl said.
With no way of getting gas, Stagl made the decision to stay and prepare for the storm. Once Milton hit, flooding began in his neighborhood and its lake.
”That lake is about four feet from its normal level,” Stagl explained. “The water level had raised so significantly that the sign that is a very prominent sign to tell people not to feed the wildlife or go swimming, that sign as almost completely covered.”
The strength of Milton fluctuated before making landfall. Forecasters changed its expected category three times this week.
Although frustrating, Stagl believes it was important for people to listen to the professionals.
”Swallow the pill of The Weather Channel or whatever news outlet. You have to just give it all to them and just say ‘alright, tell me what to do,’” Stagl said.
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Stagl, his family and his home are safe and sound. He’s grateful his family got an outcome that many other families didn’t.
He does have one piece of advice for people dealing with hurricane season and the devastation it can leave.
”With things like this, the only way out is through. The only way out of situation is, sometimes, to kind of just hunker down and find your way through it and live to fight another day,” Stagl said.
People in the South St. Augustine area are starting the process of cleaning up the damage Milton left.
Forecasters say Milton is now in the Atlantic Ocean.
