HURRICANE Milton left a devastating trail of destruction after carving a deadly path across Florida.
The monster storm spawned at least 27 tornadoes that swept across the state – claiming at least 11 lives and leaving millions in the dark.
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A water rescue boat navigates floodwaters in an apartment complex in Clearwater, Florida Credit: AP: Associated Press
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The damaged roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FloridaCredit: EPA
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Flooding engulfs Tampa Bay neighborhood Credit: AFP or licensors
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Construction crane for a new luxury residential building in St. Petersburg collapsed during Hurricane MiltonCredit: Rex
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Crane crashes into Tampa Bay Times headquarters Credit: Rex
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A woman walks through a flooded street in Bradenton, FloridaCredit: EPA
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Scenes of tornado damage in North Fort Myers, FloridaCredit: Reuters
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The Ponce De Leon hotel sign fell to the ground amid fierce winds in St. Petersburg Credits: AP
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A house collapsed after being hit by a hurricane-triggered tornado in Fort Myers Credit: AFP
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Tornado in Broward County, Florida, caused by a hurricaneCredit: Mega Agency
Treacherous conditions caused chaos across Florida after the hurricane made landfall and crossed over on Wednesday night.
Cities were battered by fierce winds of up to 200 km/h and rain, adding to the misery caused by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.
Milton hit Florida as a Category 3 storm around 8:30 pm Wednesday near Siesta Key.
As it raced across the state, it spawned a burst of tornadoes and knocked out power to at least three million homes.
Five people have been confirmed dead in St Lucie County on Florida’s Atlantic coast, up from four on Thursday morning. However, it is feared that the toll could be higher.
Two more deaths were reported in St. Petersburg, the police announced on Thursday.
One of the deaths was described as a medical incident, while the other victim was found dead in a park, said St. Petersburg Anthony Holloway.
A driver in Citrus County was killed after a tree fell during the storm, NBC News reports.
Three other people died in Volusia County, according to the sheriff.
Shocking images show the country devastated by strong winds and rain.
Watch the moment a deadly ALLIGATOR jumps out of Hurricane Milton’s floodwaters and attacks a car as the beasts bathe
In St. Petersburg, the roof of Tropicana Field suffered the fury of the storm as its roof was torn apart by the almighty storm.
Multiple cranes collapsed – including one that hit a building – and streets were left under water.
Guests were trapped at the Hotel Inn in Plant City and a rescue operation was launched to bring them to safety.
Striking video released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office shows Marine deputies rescuing a 14-year-old boy who was found partially submerged in floodwaters.
President Joe Biden has deployed thousands of federal personnel to the hardest hit areas.
But after warning that the hurricane would be “one of the most destructive hurricanes of the century”, it appears to have been weaker than expected.
After reaching Category 5 strength twice, Milton hit Florida as a Category 3 storm and was downgraded to a Category 2 about 90 minutes after landfall.
By early Thursday, the hurricane was a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of about 90 mph as it churned about 30 miles south of Orlando.
Tampa was spared a direct hit from the hurricane, but St. Petersburg recorded more than 16 inches of rain, prompting a flash flood warning from the National Weather Service.
The storm knocked out power in much of Florida, with more than 3.2 million homes and businesses without power, according to poweroutage.us.
About 125 homes were destroyed before the hurricane made landfall, many of them mobile homes in senior living communities, said Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
But while the hurricane has passed, the danger has not.
Storm surge remains a concern in many parts of Florida, and tropical storm warnings were in effect for much of the east and central coast.
Officials in hard-hit Pinellas and Sarasota counties urged people to stay off the roads, warning of downed power lines, downed trees and blocked bridges.
It comes as…
Gov. Ron DeSantis warned that “water levels are projected to continue to rise,” but said a hurricane “isn’t the worst possible scenario.”
He said several rivers had reached “major flood stage” with flooding continuing in the Hillsborough River, St John’s River and Little River.
The storm hit a region still reeling two weeks after Hurricane Helene flooded streets and homes in West Florida and left at least 230 people dead across the South.
At least 48 people have been rescued from destroyed homes, and 125 active missions are still underway in 26 different districts.
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A house lies down from its stilts in Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, FloridaCredit: AP: Associated Press
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A flooded street from Hurricane Milton in Siesta KeyCredit: AFP
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The crane destroyed the side of the buildingCredit: AFP
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Damage to a house after a tornado roared through The Preserve development Credit: Reuters
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Boats rest in a yard after being washed ashore in Punta Gorda Credit: Getty
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People were rescued from an apartment complex in Clearwater, Florida Credit: AP: Associated Press
DeSantis praised emergency responders and said there is still “work to do.”
He added: “The storm weakened before making landfall and the storm surge, as originally reported, was not as significant as that observed for Hurricane Helene.
“Right now it looks like Sarasota County has had the biggest storm surge.
“Probably somewhere between eight and ten feet, and remember we had 15 to 20 feet up in Taylor County with Helena.”
More than 80,000 people spent the night in shelters after thousands were evacuated.
But officials warned residents not to rush back to their homes as authorities assess the damage in each area.
In many places along the coast, municipalities raced to collect and dispose of the debris before Milton’s winds and storm surges toss it around and cause damage.
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A drone view shows buildings and structures in Venice, Florida damaged by Hurricane MiltonCredit: Reuters
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Improved building in Venice Credit: Reuters
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Debris covers the ground near a crane that fell on a building along First Avenue South in St. Petersburg Credits: AP
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A man looks at a rooftop on the street from a nearby house after the tornado hit Fort MyersCredit: Reuters
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The roof of Tropicana Field, which had been set up as an emergency shelter, collapsed in the hurricaneCredit: AP: Associated Press
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A man secured his home before the hurricane made landfall Credit: Spectrum News 9
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A ship struggles to stay put as Hurricane Milton makes landfall on the Gulf Coast in SarasotaCredit: Getty
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