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

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.

The coastal community of Clearwater, Florida, near Tampa, saw flooding from Milton in areas that don't normally flood, Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector told ABC News Live.

"We’re lucky we didn’t get near the storm surge that was forecast. But we had such heavy, heavy rain and wind that it put folks … in jeopardy," he said.

Crews went door-to-door at one apartment complex to rescue stranded residents.

"We were really concerned that someone didn’t get noticed. … So far, I think we’ve been able to rescue everyone," Rector said.

The mayor is urging residents who evacuated to stay inside for their own safety and to keep roads clear for first responders.

"There’s no hurry to get back here," he said. "Your property is probably fine … but certainly it’s hazardous to get to and from wherever you’re at."

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Clearwater mayor on Hurricane Milton aftermath

Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector says, “We’re lucky we didn’t get near the storm surge that was forecast.”

ABCNews.com

As the city assesses its needs, Rector said the residents of Clearwater need "prayers, more than anything, as we try to get families back into their homes who were already -- particularly on the barrier islands -- devastated by Helene."

"It’s going to be a very rough several weeks here, but I’m confident that we will pull together as a community," he said.

President Joe Biden is urging Floridians hit by Hurricane Milton overnight to "stay inside and off the roads."

"Downed power lines, debris, and road washouts are creating dangerous conditions," Biden wrote on X on Thursday. "Help is on the way, but until it arrives, shelter in place until your local officials say it’s safe to go out."

Biden spoke again on Thursday with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, telling the governor "he will provide any support the state needs," according to the White House.

Hurricane Milton "thankfully" spared Florida "the worst-case scenario," Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday morning.

About 80,000 people evacuated to shelters overnight as the storm battered the state, DeSantis said.

Rain totals reached a whopping 18 inches in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, DeSantis said. And the threat isn’t over; flooding is expected to continue the next few days, the governor warned.

In Hillsborough County, which encompasses Tampa, 100 people were evacuated from an assisted living facility and 21 people were rescued from an apartment building, officials said.

"The storm surge wasn’t as severe as initially feared, though some areas, particularly Sarasota, did experience substantial impacts," a state representative said. "We’re focused on getting power back up, clearing roads and ensuring gas stations reopen to help people recover."

Forty-eight people have been rescued by Florida National Guard search and rescue teams so far, and responders remain "laser-focused" on rescue efforts on Thursday, DeSantis said.

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson