Full horror of Hurricane Milton begins to emerge as day breaks in Florida with at least 4 dead & 3 million without power

HURRICANE Milton has near a devastating way of demolition aft carving a deadly way crossed Florida.

The monster tempest triggered astatine slightest 27 tornadoes to rip done the authorities - claiming astatine slightest 4 lives and plunging millions into darkness.

Treacherous conditions person caused chaos crossed Florida aft the hurricane made landfall connected Wednesday evening and plowed across.

Cities were pounded with ferocious winds of up to 120mph and rain, intensifying the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene conscionable 2 weeks ago.

Milton smashed into Florida arsenic a Category 3 tempest astatine astir 8.30pm connected Wednesday adjacent Siesta Key.

As it hurtled crossed the state, it whipped up a barrage of tornadoes and knocked disconnected powerfulness from astatine slightest 3 cardinal homes.

Four radical person been confirmed dormant successful St Lucie County connected Florida's Atlantic Coast - though it is feared the toll could beryllium higher.

Shocking images amusement a authorities battered by convulsive upwind and rain.

In St Petersburg, the extortion of the Tropicana Field stadium suffered the storm's wrath arsenic its extortion was shredded by the almighty gale.

Multiple cranes were toppled - including 1 that smashed into a gathering - and streets person been near engulfed by water.

Guests became trapped successful the Hotel Inn successful Plant City - with a rescue cognition launched to bring them to safety.

President Joe Biden had deployed thousands of national unit to areas worst affected.

But aft helium warned the hurricane would beryllium "one of the astir destructive hurricanes of the century", it appears person been weaker than feared.

After doubly making Category 5, Milton deed Florida arsenic a Category 3 storm, and astir 90 minutes aft making landfall was downgraded to Category 2.

By aboriginal Thursday, the hurricane was a Category 1 tempest with maximum sustained winds of astir 90 mph arsenic it churned astir 30 miles southbound of Orlando.

Tampa was spared a nonstop deed by the hurricane, but St. Petersburg recorded much than 16 inches of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to pass of flash flooding.

The tempest knocked retired powerfulness crossed a ample conception of Florida, with much than 3.2 cardinal homes and businesses without electricity, according to poweroutage.us.

About 125 homes were destroyed earlier the hurricane came ashore, galore of them mobile homes successful communities for elder citizens, Kevin Guthrie, the manager of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said.

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But portion the hurricane has passed over, the information has not.

Storm surge remained a interest successful galore parts of Florida and tropical tempest warnings were successful spot for overmuch of the east-central coast.

Officials successful hard-hit Pinellas and Sarasota counties urged radical to enactment disconnected the roads, informing of downed powerfulness lines, trees successful roadways and blocked bridges.

The tempest slammed into a portion inactive reeling 2 weeks aft Hurricane Helene flooded streets and homes successful occidental Florida and near astatine slightest 230 radical dormant crossed the South.

In galore places on the coast, municipalities raced to cod and dispose of debris earlier Milton's winds and tempest surge could flip it astir and compound immoderate damage.