Inside heroic aid response after mega Hurricane Milton - 'My home is flooded - I've got nothing left'

As Florida reeled from Hurricane Milton, emergency response crews were quick to provide medical supplies and water to locals, and they could be present in the Sunshine State for up to three months as residents recover from the fierce storm.

Truckloads of essential supplies - including hygiene kits and bottled water - were shipped into Florida before the storm even made landfall. Teams are now distributing those supplies to the most vulnerable communities, while also providing mental and psychological support to traumatised locals.

Hurricane Milton threatened to be a once-in-a-generation catastrophic storm, sparking a mass evacuation over 48 hours. It morphed into a terrifying Category 5 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, with sustained windspeeds in excess of 180mph, and was forecast to make a direct impact on Tampa.

A sudden change in wind shear thankfully weakened Milton to a Category 3 hurricane when it made landfall, throwing off fears of a 15ft storm surge. But there were still 100mph winds, and the 1.5ft downpour marked a once-in-1,000-year rain event.

In the hours preceding the hurricane's arrival, 126 tornado warnings were issued, which was the largest number of warnings issued in Florida in a single day ever. Four people died from tornado impacts, even before Milton hit.

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Emergency response teams have started picking up the pieces in Florida, after thousands were left with damaged properties, and more than three million were without power. Humanitarian non-profit organisation Project HOPE sent 11 workers to Jacksonville, Florida, ahead of the storm. They arrived prepped with trucks of essential supplies, ready for whatever Milton threw their way.

Project HOPE's regional director, Andrea Dunne-Sosa, told the : "We loaded up trucks full of supplies that we know are always needed in the first hours and days after the impact of a storm like this. We have hygiene kits and medical supplies, water - those types of essential items ready for distribution."

Before Hurricane Milton even arrived, the team saw how the oncoming storm had sparked terror around the city. On Wednesday night, Andrea arrived at a Jacksonville hotel, which was already full to the brim with evacuees. The city lies on the northeast coast of Florida, and crucially away from the main threat of Milton. Locals were evacuated into the city until after the storm had passed.

"When we were in that area, I saw probably 25 people in the course of maybe 30 minutes coming into the hotel lobby asking 'Do you have any availability? Do you have any places to stay?'," said Andrea. "One gentleman broke down in tears in the hotel lobby and said 'I have no place to go. My house has been completely flooded, I've lost everything'.

"So I actually administered psychological first aid and provided support in the hotel lobby. We worked together with the hotel staff to get him connected to some resources, and we were fortunate to be able to find him a place to stay."

The man had already lost quite a lot of his possessions in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene - which hit Florida just two weeks previous. His "nerves were so raw", it became overwhelming, she added.

"Just the emotional and psychological impact of having his house flooded... He literally just got into his car and drove as far north as he could, and he was at about the point of collapsing when we were there. That was even before we got to the major danger zone. That will really stay with me."

Project HOPE pushed into the heavily affected west coast of Florida on Thursday afternoon. They arrived to scenes of trees uprooted and sprawled across roads, houses without roofs, and widespread power outages.

Andrea said: "The 100mph+ wind gusts have torn roofs off, so as you're driving around there's a lot of debris, there's a lot of trees that are down or have been uprooted, or have even fallen on homes and their businesses. There's widespread power outages, so driving through later in the evening, you can see entire neighbourhoods that are completely blacked out."

and pharmacies were closed down in anticipation of Milton's arrival - and still remain shut. It meant access to vital supplies was incredibly difficult for locals, even if they were able to navigate the road closures.

"There's also still quite a lot of standing water in the flooded areas, and I understand that at least one of the barrier islands, just off the coast, is still inaccessible at this point," she added. The emergency team is providing supplies to any community that needs it, and they've already been handing out medication, food, water, and even nappies to locals.

"We're also looking out for mental health and psychosocial support; especially recognising that these communities have just gone through two almost back-to-back hurricanes - Helene and Milton - so people are emotionally having a difficult time as well, so mental health is a significant factor," said Andrea. "We're especially worried about the more vulnerable population. So, the elderly community in Florida, people with disabilities, women and children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases."

There were also fears of infectious diseases spreading around communities, given the widespread floods across west Florida. One of the emergency team's priorities was protecting against the spread of disease; particularly as Milton made landfall in cold, flu and Covid season.

It was also vital to pay attention to the heroic frontline healthcare workers, Andrea said. Doctors and nurses were working around the clock, providing medical attention to people hurt by falling debris, caught in a flash flood, and those who were at risk of infection. But, these frontline workers were also likely to be from Florida, and might also be traumatised by their own experience of Milton.

"We need to recognise that the staff of those health facilities are also part of the affected population," said Andrea. "They're working 24/7, while still reflecting on the impact it's had on their own homes, their own familes, their own lives. So providing medical support to the frontline medical supporters is a critical part of the work we're doing."

Now Project HOPE's attention has turned toward the mobile home community within Florida, which has a comparatively larger retired population. These homes were largely built to be lower cost and more affordable - but that meant they're more susceptible to natural disasters.

It's not entirely clear how long the team would be remaining in Florida, but it could be anywhere from two weeks to three months. They'll almost certainly see some tragedies that'll stay with them for the rest of their lives.

"It's difficult coming into these situations... but at the same time, this is what we're prepared for," said Andrea. "This is what we're trained for. Self-care of the team is an important part of the mental health support, alongside those we're here to serve."

To donate to ongoing emergency response in Florida, visit its page