Floodwaters linger in Florida's hard-hit area days after Hurricane Milton's landfall

Floodwaters in Lithia, a severely affected area in the southeastern U.S. state of Florida by Hurricane Milton, have not receded yet even four days after the landfall of the hurricane.

Milton hit the west-central coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday night, bringing strong winds, destructive tornadoes, and heavy rains before weakening to a Category 1 as it swiftly barreled across central Florida.

Lithia, situated southwest of Tampa, bore the brunt of the hurricane as it was right in the the path of Milton.

The heavy rainfall triggered by Milton swelled local rivers, resulting in flooding and the submersion of numerous homes, with many areas in Lithia still drenching in floodwaters.

"Milton came through and wrecked it. The storm didn't do too much of the flooding after the fact. About 12 hours after the storm, the water was in my backyard, didn't think it was going to get much higher 36 hours after the storm. Way better than a lot of people behind me, hopefully they're okay behind. But yeah, I got my neighbors. I think they got probably four or five, maybe six feet of water in the house, that yellow house over there," said Vladimir, a resident affected by the floods in Lithia.

Vladimir also said that they have not received any government assistance so far, with only local community organizations offering some food and water to the affected residents.

In parts of western and central Florida, river levels may continue to rise, with multiple areas still under flood alerts.

Rescue agencies caution that the floods are likely to impede the progress of post-disaster relief efforts. By Sunday afternoon, over 840,000 households in Florida were still without power, with almost 30 percent of gas stations unable to provide fuel.

Milton is the fifth hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast so far in 2024, with three of them striking Florida.

Floodwaters linger in Florida's hard-hit area days after Hurricane Milton's landfall

Floodwaters linger in Florida's hard-hit area days after Hurricane Milton's landfall

Floodwaters linger in Florida's hard-hit area days after Hurricane Milton's landfall

Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark, which is on the Mission Harmony-2024, wrapped up its seven-day visit to Djibouti on Friday and departed from the Djibouti Port to Sri Lanka.

As the Peace Ark departed from the port, the Djiboutian authorities hosted a farewell ceremony at the dock, attended by a diverse group of dignitaries and well-wishers. The gathering included Djiboutian military and political officials, local residents, staff from the Chinese Embassy, representatives of Chinese-funded institutions and overseas Chinese.

During the seven-day visit, the hospital ship treated more than 5,800 people, conducted 2,377 auxiliary medical examinations and tests and performed 48 surgeries, receiving heartfelt welcome and appreciation from Djiboutian people. The crew members also provided medical service and carried out cultural exchange activities in local orphanages and elementary schools, winning wide praise from the Djiboutian side.

Djibouti is the last African country the Peace Ark visited during the Mission Harmony-2024. During the mission, the hospital ship has provided medical services for more than 78,000 people from 12 countries in Africa, deepening cooperation and exchanges in fields including medical care, military, culture, and sports among countries being visited.

The exchanges with visiting countries contribute to improving African people's health and enhancing China-Africa friendship.

Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark leaves Djibouti for Sri Lanka