Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida's west coast as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday night. The monster storm roared ashore with life-threatening storm surge, powerful winds and flooding rains.
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.
Residents are rescued from an their second story apartment complex in Clearwater that was flooded from and overflowing creek due to Hurricane Milton on Oct., 10, 2024 in Florida.
Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images
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
7:47 AM EDT
4 killed in tornadoes in St. Lucie County
Four people were killed by tornadoes in St. Lucie County on Florida’s east coast, county officials said.
"Numerous homes" have "suffered significant damage," officials added.
6:37 AM EDT
Tampa hit with 1 foot of rain
Hurricane Milton’s heavy rains sparked a flash-flood emergency for the Tampa Bay area.
Tampa has recorded 1 foot of rain, while Lakeland -- about 35 miles inland from Tampa -- saw 10 inches of rain.
Fifteen people, including young children, were rescued from a Tampa home Wednesday night when a tree fell on top of the house and water rushed inside, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor on Thursday is urging residents to stay inside and off the roads, warning, "It's not over."
