St. Pete Standard

St. Petersburg, FL – Hurricane Milton has made landfall in St. Petersburg as a Category 3 storm, bringing major hurricane strength winds to the Tampa Bay area. In response, Mayor Kenneth T. Welch has communicated key messages to residents as the city braces for the impact.

Mayor Welch, along with city leadership and critical staff, are stationed at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) throughout the night. They are prepared to initiate recovery efforts once conditions permit. However, first responders have been taken off the roads due to unsafe conditions and will resume operations when it is safe.

Residents are advised that emergency services may be delayed but should still call 911 if necessary. The Northeast and Southwest Sewer Treatment plants have been temporarily shut down to safeguard employees and facilities from potential damage caused by the storm.

During this period, affected residents should minimize activities such as flushing toilets, showering, or doing laundry to reduce strain on offline systems. It is important to note that drinking water remains unaffected.

Mayor Welch emphasized that it is crucial for residents to stay indoors until public safety officials indicate it is safe to go outside again. Further information and updates can be found at stpete.org/hurricane.