MILTON'S FURY
Hurricane Milton death toll climbs to at least 16 as storm’s destructive path leaves 3 million without power
It comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene wrought misery in the same areas
HURRICANE Milton has left a devastating trail of destruction after carving a deadly path across Florida.
The monster storm triggered at least 27 tornadoes to rip through the state - claiming at least 16 lives and plunging millions into darkness.
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Treacherous conditions have caused chaos across Florida after the hurricane made landfall on Wednesday evening and plowed across.
Cities were pounded with ferocious winds of up to 120mph and rain, intensifying the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.
Milton smashed into Florida as a Category 3 storm at about 8:30 pm on Wednesday near Siesta Key.
As it hurtled across the state, it whipped up a barrage of tornadoes and knocked off power from at least three million homes.
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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 others were reported dead in St. Petersburg, police said on Thursday.
One of the deaths was described as a medical incident, while a second victim was found dead in a park, St. Petersburg Chief of Police Anthony Holloway said.
A driver in Citrus County was killed after a tree fell during the storm, according to .
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Three additional people died in Volusia County, according to the sheriff.
Shocking images show a state battered by violent wind and rain.
Watch moment deadly ALLIGATOR leaps from Hurricane Milton floodwater and attacks car as beasts are washed
In St. Petersburg, the roof of the Tropicana Field stadium suffered the storm's wrath as its roof was shredded by the almighty gale.
Multiple cranes were toppled - including one that smashed into a building - and streets have been left engulfed by water.
Guests became trapped in the Hotel Inn in Plant City, and a rescue operation was launched to bring them to safety.
An impactful posted by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office showed deputies with the Marine Unit saving a 14-year-old who was found partially submerged in flood water.
President Joe Biden had deployed thousands of federal personnel to areas worst affected.
But after he warned the hurricane would be "one of the most destructive hurricanes of the century," it appears to have been weaker than feared.
After twice reaching Category 5 strength, Milton hit Florida as a Category 3 storm and was downgraded to Category 2. around 90 minutes after making 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 by the hurricane, but St. Petersburg recorded more than 16 inches of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of flash flooding.
The storm knocked out power across a large section of Florida, with more than 3.2 million homes and businesses without electricity, according to poweroutage.us.
About 125 homes were destroyed before the hurricane came ashore, many of them mobile homes in communities for senior citizens, Kevin Guthrie, the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said.
But while the hurricane has passed over, the danger has not.
Storm surge remained a concern in many parts of Florida and tropical storm warnings were in place for much of the east-central coast.
Officials in hard-hit Pinellas and Sarasota counties urged people to stay off the roads, warning of downed power lines, trees in roadways and blocked bridges.
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Governor Ron DeSantis has warned the "water levels are forecast to continue rising" - but said the hurricane was "not the worst case scenario."
He said several rivers reached a "major flood stage" with flooding to continue at Hillsborough River, St John's River, and Little River.
The storm slammed into a region still reeling two weeks after Hurricane Helene flooded streets and homes in western Florida and left at least 230 people dead across the South.
At least 48 people have been rescued from battered homes, with 125 active missions taking place still in 26 different counties.
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DeSantis praised emergency workers and said there was still "work to do."
He added: "The storm did weaken before landfall and the storm surge, as initially reported, has not been as significant overall as what was observed for Hurricane Helene.
"Right now, it looks like Sarasota County had the most significant storm surge.
"Likely somewhere between eight to 10ft, and remember with Helene we had 15 to 20 feet up in Taylor County."
More than 80,000 people spent the night in shelters after thousands evacuated.
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But officials have warned residents not to rush back to their homes as authorities assess to damage to each area.
In many places along the coast, municipalities raced to collect and dispose of debris before Milton's winds and storm surge could toss it around and compound any damage.
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