Hurricane Milton updates: 16 dead across Florida in storm's aftermath

Over 11,000 people evacuated coastal Pinellas County, which encompasses Clearwater and St. Petersburg, ahead of Hurricane Milton, according to a county emergency management official.

"We appreciate the cooperation of the residents, especially those on the barrier islands, who evacuated and helped minimize the impact of the storm," Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said.

One of the most notable rescue operations in the county was at a Clearwater apartment complex, where rising waters threatened the lives of about 2,000 residents, officials said.

"We rescued approximately 430 people using high-water vehicles and boats," the sheriff said. "The water was so high that it reached the second-floor balconies of some apartments, but thankfully, many residents had moved to higher ground."

"Fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported," he said.

-ABC News’ Jason Volack

St. Petersburg resident Kristy Austin was horrified when Milton’s rains and 101 mph winds flooded her eighth-floor apartment.

"We thought the windows were going to blow and then cut us and might kill us," she told ABC News.

Austin said she took cover all night in the building’s stairwell.

“There was too much water coming in, and we just took blankets, and we took, we had emergency bags with our birth certificates. … And we just kept climbing up the staircase in the stairwell,” she said.

"The whistling of the storm, it was really scary," Austin said, describing it as "like a freight train."

-ABC News’ Jaclyn Lee

Milton brought 18 inches of rain and powerful winds to St. Petersburg, causing flooding and severe damage to key infrastructure, including drinking water systems, power lines and sewage facilities, city officials said.

"While we were spared the worst of the predicted storm surge, we still have significant issues to address," a city official said.

Nearly 400,000 customers in Pinellas County are without electricity, officials said.

"This was an unprecedented storm with extremely high winds," officials explained. "The damage to the power grid is severe, and we are asking everyone to be patient while these services are being restored."

Two fatalities were reported in St. Petersburg during Milton: one from a medical emergency and a second person found in a park, Police Chief Tony Holloway said.

-ABC News’ Jason Volack

Wind gusts climbed to 97 mph in Tampa and 102 mph at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport as Milton slammed the coast.

Milton's powerful winds ripped most of the roof off of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, and sent a crane crashing down in St. Petersburg.

Fourteen staff members inside Tropicana Field were safely relocated, City Development Administrator James Corbett said.

No injuries were reported in connection to the crane collapse, officials said.

The city of St. Petersburg plans to review and potentially revise local regulations surrounding crane safety and construction preparedness for future storms, a local official said.