More than 3 million homes and businesses in Florida were without power on Thursday morning after Hurricane Milton made landfall as an "extremely dangerous" Category 3 storm near Siesta Key.
Milton, now a Category 1 hurricane, is currently moving northeast off Florida's coast. However, the storm is "still producing damaging hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall," the National Hurricane Center said Thursday morning.
"There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge along the coast from east-central Florida northward to southern Georgia," meteorologists said.
Milton made landfall in Florida just weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm.
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Photos show flooded streets, storm debris after Hurricane Milton passes through
Tampa mayor: 'It's not over'
The mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor, told reporters on Thursday morning that even though Hurricane Milton is moving away from Florida, "it's not over."
Castor said that while it's "pretty calm out there right now," the city has still seen "extensive damage." Once the sun comes out, she said, utility workers will start working to get power restored for Hillsborough County, which has reported more than half a million customer outages.
“At 7:00 this morning, when high tide comes in, rivers are going to flood all over Hillsborough County, not just in the city of Tampa," the mayor said. She pleaded with residents to "please stay inside" while officials assess the damage and "make sure it's safe for you to go back out into your community."
Multiple fatalities reported in St. Lucie County after tornadoes touch down, sheriff says
Pearson also said, according to WPEC, that a facility within the sheriff's headquarters was destroyed by what he described as a "devastating tornado."
A video shared on the St. Lucie County Facebook page on Thursday appeared to show a tornado passing through a parking lot. "While Hurricane Milton has left our area, St. Lucie County experienced significant damage from multiple tornados that impacted our area," the post read. "First responders and public works/utility crews are conducting [recovery] efforts."
Pinellas County residents ordered to stay off roads
Even though the storm has passed, residents in Pinellas County, Fla., woke up to an emergency alert on their phones ordering them to shelter in place to allow first responders to complete rescue and recovery efforts.
"Many roads impassable due to downed power lines, fallen trees, debris," the alert said. "YOU MUST STAY OFF THE ROADS until advised otherwise by county officials."
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