Tropical Storm Nicole has now claimed the lives of at the very least 5 people in Florida because it battered the state’s east coast Thursday.
Two people were fatally electrocuted by a downed power line in Orlando, two others died in a crash on Florida’s Turnpike and a fifth person died while aboard a yacht, in accordance with authorities.
Within the electrocution deaths, the victims stepped out of their automobile zapped by a downed power line at Bayfront Parkway and Pershing Avenue at around 9:30 a.m., Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said during a news conference.
“This really is a reminder to make use of extreme caution while out after a storm,” Demings said. “Never touch a downed power line. At all times assume that it’s a live wire.”
Greater than 300,000 power outages have been reported across Florida as of early Thursday afternoon.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the deaths.
Two others died in a automobile crash around 5:45 a.m. on the Florida Turnpike inside Orange County Thursday morning, Demings said.
The motive force of a pickup truck lost control and swerved towards the shoulder of the roadway, where a tow truck was parked, Florida Highway Patrol told WESH 2 News.
The 53-year-old male pickup truck driver hit the 42-year-old driver of the tow truck who was standing behind his vehicle on the time. Each were pronounced dead on the scene.
Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
A fifth person died while aboard a docked yacht through the peak of the storm, in accordance with reports.
Thomas Whittle, 68, died early Thursday morning on his boat docked at Lee Wenner Park in Cocoa on the state’s east coast, police told Florida Today.
The Port Canaveral man’s wife, who was also on the ship, called 911 just after 4:33 a.m. and said her husband was in distress.
Emergency personnel responded and boarded the boat where they began CPR on Whittle. As they were doing so, the yacht broke loose from the dock and began to drift away, police said.
The rescuers were in a position to secure it with lines and rushed Whittle to an area hospital, but he couldn’t be saved. His reason for death has not been released.
Tropical Storm Nicole made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane just south of Vero Beach, Florida around 3 a.m. Shortly after Nicole lost wind intensity and was downgraded to a tropical storm.
Even so, the storm barreled through the Sunshine State, wreaking havoc on many areas still recovering from Hurricane Ian six weeks ago.
Nicole pummeled Florida’s east coast with sustained winds of as much as 75 miles per hours, dangerous storm surge, powerful waves and heavy rains.
A state of emergency was called for 45 of the state’s 67 counties and plenty of residents were forced to evacuate.