As Hurricane Milton barrelled toward western Florida this week, viewers watched coverage of trees uprooted and lying in roads; roofs flying from strong gusts of wind; and streets turned into rivers amid driving rain. Millions tuned in from around the world for the firsthand accounts of the residents who stayed.

But the reports many watched weren’t narrated by anchors on CNN or NBC – they were delivered in real-time, endless video streams by TikTok users.

Users posted scores of videos showing their homes flooding and their neighbourhoods facing damage and destruction; they updated followers about their families and animals.

As with previous hurricanes, many Florida residents stayed, either because they felt their homes could withstand the storm, they had work obligations, or gas was unavailable and plane tickets were too expensive. But this time, they broadcast their experiences from an app that seemed tailor-made to capture the unfolding chaos.

Logan Durrance, 29, of Polk County, was born and raised in Florida and familiar with the potential destructiveness of hurricanes. He and his family were on edge and thought about evacuating, but because their home is about 60 miles inland, they thought it might avoid the brunt of the storm. Durrance was also scheduled to work at a natural gas power plant in the area.

“There’s 24 hours before this hurricane gets here, but I’m already dedicated to work,” Durrance said Thursday after 36 hours at the plant. “We had the house ready, boarding up windows, draining the pool.”

Durrance provided updates to his TikTok followers, who commented from around the country and the world to offer their support as he posted from the power plant in wind gusts and rain. Tornadoes touched down in his area, but his home was spared any major damage.

Like many of his followers, Durrance also looked to TikTok for live updates on what was happening across his state. “The roof had been ripped off Tropicana Field, and I was able to see it an hour before it was on Fox News,” he said.

“It’s a perspective you did not have in the past,” he added.

While some felt they had to stay, others, as many pointed out in comments, seemed to stay for the clicks.

A man who refused to leave his sailboat in Tampa became known as Lieutenant Dan for his defiance of evacuation orders, calling to mind a character in Forrest Gump who refused to abandon his boat in a storm. Another content creator, who normally posts about day trading, has racked up millions of views chronicling the storm from his Tampa high-rise apartment.

These broadcasts invite more interaction than a typical televised broadcast, with commenters writing that they were “praying so hard” for Lieutenant Dan or pleading for the algorithm to bring them back for part two.

Morgan Roos, who had been posting periodic updates on Milton, garnered a particularly devoted fan base. One commenter wrote that they “came straight here to check on you this morning”. Another expressed their concern after a few hours of quiet: “I’m so worried about you. Please update us soon.”

Caroline Calloway, a social media influencer known for unorthodox ways of boosting engagement, was criticised for posting live updates of the storm from her house in Sarasota after refusing to evacuate. Instead, she took the opportunity to promote sales for her book.

But for those feeling the weight of the disaster, the TikTok audience can provide solace.

Durrance said that he was overwhelmed by the response from his followers as he provided updates during the storm.

“I could have never guessed that in a million years, that I have people that genuinely care about us as the way they do,” he said.

 - NY Times