Hurricane Milton carves deadly path through Florida, millions without power

Damage to Tampa International Airport

Following a three-day flight suspension due to Hurricane Milton, Tampa International Airport announced it is planning to reopen and resume flights on Friday morning.

However, airport officials said the extreme wind gusts and heavy rainfall from the Category 3 storm impacted several areas of the airport that will need repairs.

"Airport partners are also evaluating staffing levels after one of the biggest evacuation events in recent Tampa Bay history," the airport said in a press release on Thursday evening.

Over 2,270 flights were canceled as of Thursday, according to tracking software FlightAware.

Airports in Orlando, Tampa, and elsewhere grounded flights throughout the week. In Miami alone, 148 flights were canceled.

Tampa International Airport was hardest hit, with 380 flights canceled as of Thursday.

Winds reached 120 mph as Hurricane Milton made landfall in western Florida on Wednesday evening. Milton also created at least three tornadoes in South Florida.

Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

A dangerous tornado was spotted moving through Wellington, Florida Wednesday in advance of Hurricane Milton.

Milton made landfall in the Tampa area as a Category 3 Storm Wednesday evening.

The storm spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes that wreaked havoc across the Sunshine State.

At least five people were killed when a tornado hit in the Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce, on the Atlantic Coast.

After Hurricane Milton has passed through Florida, causing widespread destruction, photos are now emerging showing the extent of the damage.

Photos from AP show streets completely flooded, with cars almost entirely submerged in water.

Though the storm has passed, millions remain without power. The storm has torn homes into pieces, filled streets with mud and spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes.

At least six people are dead, and at least 3 million were left without power as the storm flooded barrier islands, torn the roof off a baseball stadium, and toppled a construction crane.

Sarasota Police observe Hurricane Milton damage

The Sarasota Police Department shared a video on Thursday showing how they are surveying damage done by Hurricane Milton.

“Our priority is the preservation of life & after a severe weather event like Milton, our officers are quick to respond. Sarasota Police officers patrolled St. Armands and Lido today to check on any residents who remained,” the department wrote in a post on X.

“Unlike recent storms, water rescues were not necessary,” the post continued.

The video shows the officers riding through the community on four-wheelers and showing all the damage the storm left behind.

Police said they were also thankful that residents listened to their evacuation orders.

“We are grateful people heeded evacuation orders!” police said.

Police added that access to those islands is not permitted yet, but they are working quickly to allow for a safe return.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued a man clinging to a cooler nearly 30 miles off the coast of Longboat Key, Fla.

A U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter crew hoisted a man to safety after he was found clinging to a cooler about 30 miles off Longboat Key, Florida.

In the video, a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Miami is seen approaching the man clinging to a cooler as a member of the crew is lowered into the water.

The crew member is shown swimming over to the man in distress, before the video ends.

According to the Coast Guard, the man was spotted Thursday about 30 miles off Longboat Key, and taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical treatment.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner.

Construction equipment on the ground

All three Orlando-based theme parks were forced to close due to Hurricane Milton, but have announced that all the parks will resume operations on Friday.

“We’re grateful Walt Disney World Resort weathered the storm. Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs will reopen on Friday, October 11 for the scheduled operating hours. Our hearts are with our fellow Floridians who were impacted by this storm,” Disney announced in a statement on Thursday.

Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida late Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 mph, leaving around 3.2 million people in Florida without power as the storm has devastated Florida's coast.

St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed there have been at least 11 fatalities with more expected.

FILE- North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, right, and Deanne Criswell, Administrator of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, await the arrival of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris for a briefing on the damage from Hurricane Helene, at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Oct. 5, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, file)

Authorities in North Carolina on Thursday confirmed at least 91 storm-related fatalities from Hurricane Helene but still could not account for the number of those who remain missing or unaccounted for. 

Fatalities were reported across 20 counties, according to a Thursday afternoon update from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).

The vast majority of those fatalities were reported in Buncombe, with 42 deaths, followed by Yancey and Henderson, at 10 and 7, respectively. 

Video obtained by Fox News Digital shows National Guard troops in Seminole County, Florida helping residents who have been impacted by Hurricane Milton.

The video shows troops clearing streets of debris, putting back road signs, and assisting residents with other needs – at times wading through flooded roadways on foot.

 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday afternoon that Florida National Guard, along with state law enforcement, and urban search-and-rescue teams are continuing to work throughout the day, engaged in at least 125 missions across 26 counties.

Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., on Thursday described Hurricane Milton as a “harsh 1, 2 punch” when assessing its damage during an appearance on Fox News’ “American Reports.”

Castor said that Hurricane Helene , which walloped Florida late last month, affected “tens of thousands” of her neighbors.

“Now [Hurricane] Milton, we are grappling with widespread power outages, fuel shortages. But my hat is off to the first responders … doing search and rescue now, all of our local law enforcement,” Castor said. “It has been a very robust response from the local level to the state and the Biden-Harris administration and FEMA. And we’re going to need help for the long-term recovery as well.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that while some of Hurricane Milton’s worst case scenarios did not come to pass, flooding is still a threat and urged residents in the affected areas to shelter in place. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gave an update on Hurricane Milton Thursday afternoon after it made landfall the night before as a Category 3 Storm.

By Thursday afternoon, the governor said, at least 340 individuals and 49 pets had been rescued. Florida National Guard, Florida law enforcement, and urban search and rescue teams were continuing to work through the day. Hundreds of rescuers were engaged in more than 125 missions in 26 counties.

“The northern side of the storm had a lot of precipitation. They were just getting water dumped on them. So, whereas [Hurricane] Helene created a lot of storm surge in that part of the state, this one didn’t do that here, but it create inland flooding,” DeSantis said.

Around 4 million were left without power. As of the 3 p.m. update, around 880,000 had been restored, with 3.2 million accounts still without power.

DeSantis said that while Hurricane Milton did inflict damage, “I think in some areas that in terms of what was being predicted, some of the worst case scenarios did not come to pass, certainly in terms of some of the storm surge people were predicting.”

Hurricane Milton has exited Florida’s east coast, but major flooding continues along Hillsborough, Saint John’s and the Little rivers. Water levels are forecasted to continue rising.

“Residents in these areas should continue to shelter in place until officials deem it safe to go outside,” Florida Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie said.

Gov. DeSantis warned people against taking advantage of a dire situation.

“I’m warning you, don’t do that. If you loot, you will be held accountable. If you’re doing things that violate the law, if you’re gonna try to take advantage of vulnerable people, we’re going to throw the book at you,” DeSantis said.  “We even had some jackass, chain a dog to a pole. As the storm was coming Florida Highway Patrol rescued the dog.”

The Melbourne Orlando International Airport will reopen Friday at 9 a.m. after closing for Hurricane Milton.

The airport closed Wednesday in anticipation of the storm. Domestic arrivals were set to resume Thursday evening. Departures – both domestic and international – are set to resume on Friday.

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday evening.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said people should put Hurricane Milton "in perspective" in response to a reporter's question about climate change.

At a press conference on Thursday, DeSantis was asked whether "global warming" impacted the hurricane's intensity after Milton spawned several tornadoes that wreaked havoc in the Sunshine State.

DeSantis rejected the premise that Milton was worse than previous hurricanes, stating, "I think you can go back and find tornadoes for all of human history." 

Compared to previous storms, Milton had a barometric pressure of about 950 millibars when it made landfall, the governor said. "I think if you go back to 1851, there's probably been about 27 hurricanes that have had lower barometric pressure – so the lower the barometric pressure, the stronger it is." 

The governor noted that 17 hurricanes stronger than Milton made landfall in Florida prior to 1960 and that the strongest hurricane on record since the 1850s was the Labor Day hurricane, which occurred in 1935 and had a barometric pressure of 892 millibars. The most deadly hurricane in Florida history happened in 1928, he added.

"I just think people should put this in perspective there. They tried to take different things that happened with tropical weather and act like it's something – there's nothing new under the sun," DeSantis said. 

"I think what's changed is we've got 23 million people. A storm is likely to hit more people and property than it would have 100 years ago. And so the potential for that damage has grown, but what's also changed is our ability to do the prevention, to pre-stage the assets." 

FOX News viewers and readers will be able to donate directly to relief efforts through FOX Forward Red Cross by scanning the QR Code above..

FOX Corporation's donation drive for the American Red Cross’ Hurricanes Helene and Milton relief efforts has raised $8.2 million and counting. 

FOX Corporation made a donation to the Red Cross Hurricane Helene relief efforts and continues to be an Annual Disaster Giving Program partner, urging viewers to also help people affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The program enables the Red Cross to respond immediately to disasters by providing safe shelter, hot meals, emotional support and resources to aid in recovery. 

More than 3 million people are without power and more than 100 rescue missions are underway Thursday in Florida after Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key last night as a Category 3 storm, generating tornadoes that left four people dead in St. Lucie County.

Duke Energy President Melissa Seixas told "Fox & Friends" that more 800,000 of its customers are without power across 35 counties in the state. In St. Petersburg, where the roof was torn off the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field, 18 inches of rain was recorded over a 24-hour span, according to FOX Weather.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Brian Flood.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas indicated Thursday that the Federal Emergency Management Association will need additional funds from Congress in the wake of hurricane season.

Mayorkas provided an update on hurricane recovery efforts at the daily White House press briefing, where he said FEMA is prepared to assist Florida residents impacted by Hurricane Milton. 

"We have the resources to respond to the immediate needs of individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton and the associated – it's very important to remember the tornadoes associated with the hurricane," Mayorkas said. "That being said, we will need additional funds, and we implore Congress when it returns to, in fact, fund FEMA as is needed."

Later on in response to a reporter's question, Mayorkas said a continuing resolution to fund the government at current levels "is not stable footing for the work that we do in disaster response." 

"That is why I underscore the need for Congress to act swiftly upon its return." 

A number of companies are stepping up to assist Florida communities sitting in the path of yet another devastating hurricane by donating to relief organizations and sending essential supplies to affected areas.

Hurricane Milton, the second hurricane to slam Florida in a few week's time, made landfall on Wednesday evening. Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida late last month before moving into Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Virginia, and killing more than 200 people.

CVS Pharmacy, Home Depot, Walmart and more companies are stepping up to help impacted communities.

CVS said it's reaching out to patients by text message, email and phone to remind them to refill and pick up prescriptions. It's pharmacy benefit manager, Caremark, is also allowing pharmacy claims for one-time emergency refills of a 10-day supply of medication for plan members in impacted areas, the company said.

Its stores are also receiving extra emergency supplies, such as water, batteries and first aid products. CVS said its stores comply with all local evacuation orders and that if there are mandatory closures, stores will reopen as soon as they are safe to do so. 

Home Depot said it pre-positions trucks that are filled with supplies outside the hurricane strike zone so it can get in with essential products as soon as possible. To date, over 500 truckloads of essential storm prep supplies have been sent to potentially impacted areas. 

Since Hurricane Helene made landfall last month, Walmart opened up store and club parking lots across Appalachia and the Southeast to serve as charging stations and so residents can receive a hot meal and water. Many parking lots also allow storm victims to take showers and even do their laundry.

The company plans to offer the same services in parking lots across communities impacted by Milton after the storm passes. In the meantime, the company said it's currently working to prepare employees in the path of Milton, including offering evacuation assistance to those in mandatory evacuation zones.

FOX Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this update.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday confirmed there have been at least five reported fatalities in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

"As people know, we've had massive power outages, which was expected. I'd say this is probably similar to Hurricanes Irma and Ian in terms of the number of outages I think we're up to," DeSantis said at a noon press conference in Fort Pierce.

The governor said 3.4 million people are currently without power, although 700,000 have had their power restored since the storm made landfall. He noted that 50,000 linemen were pre-staged throughout the state to quickly respond to outages.

"We're also assessing the need for things like points of distribution. We typically will set up these pods with water, food, tarps, things of that nature. I think we will be doing some pods. A lot of this is based on what the counties ask us for. But I also think you're probably going to see a lot of the stores and gas stations reopen very quickly. At least that's our hope," DeSantis said. 

He repeated his earlier assessment that the storm "did not produce the worst case scenario in terms of storm surge," noting that predictions of 15 ft. storm surge in some areas of eastern Florida did not come to fruition. 

Former President Trump posted a message about Hurricane Milton on social media, saying he and his wife, Melania, are "deeply saddened by the devastation being reported." 

"Melania and I are praying for you as you face the aftermath of Hurricane Milton," Trump said.

"Our hearts go out to each and every one of you. To those who have lost so much, know that you are not alone. We've seen you stand tall against storms before, and you will stand tall now. And hopefully on January 20th, you're going to have somebody that's really going to help you and help you like never before. Because help is on the way. 

"Together, we will rebuild. We will recover, and we will come back stronger, bigger, better than ever before. Please keep your faith, hold strong and look out for one another because the sun will shine again over the beautiful Florida that we love so much. I live there. Also, we love it so much. You're in our thoughts and together we will come back better than before. Are you going to be better than before? And just keep your chin up and God bless you all and God bless the great state of Florida."

Trump went on to say that Gov. Ron DeSantis is "doing an excellent job." 

Volusia Sheriff's Special Ops team members rescue residents after Hurricane Milton flooded the area in South Daytona, Florida, U.S., October 10, 2024. Nadia Zomorodian/Daytona Beach News-Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK via REUTERS

A fifth fatality has been reported in Polk County after Hurricane Milton swept through Florida. 

At least four other people were killed in northern Fort Pierce after tornadoes broke out Wednesday spawned by the hurricane, FOX Weather reported.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office confirmed a fifth death to FOX Weather but was unable to provide additional details.

Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier said the state has not officially confirmed any fatalities, but “that does not mean there has not been any." 

Multiple rescue operations are underway in Florida to assist residents trapped by flooding or fallen debris.

More than 100 residents were rescued from an assisted living facility in Tampa, according to a social media post by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. 

The sheriff’s office and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue were out with amphibious equipment and the marine unit rescuing residents, Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the video.

It shows deputies in nearly waist-deep water outside the facility and residents with walkers being carried away on boats. The video shows flooded streets and parking lots and rescue workers with a boat floating next to a partially submerged flight of stairs helping an apartment building resident in a life jacket wrap up her cat.

“This is extraordinary to see this type of flooding, especially in this type of area. The University of South Florida area is normally a dry area,” Chronister said in the video. "To see this unprecedented flooding, I can only imagine how scary it was.”

An "out-of-order" sign on a pump at a gas station ahead of Hurricane Milton in Miami, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida late Wednesday night and residents in areas impacted by the life-threatening storm are likely to see disruptions to gasoline supplies until the storm has passed and shipments resume.

Gas shortages were reported at stations in parts of central Florida earlier this week as residents in the area filled up their tanks and hit the road for destinations outside of Milton's path. Others stocked up on gasoline to fuel generators that would be relied upon to keep the lights on in the event of a power outage.

The American Petroleum Institute (API), which represents the U.S. oil and natural gas industry, said that industry members are working with government officials on addressing supply issues and to set the stage for a return to normal operations once it's possible.

"Our industry is closely monitoring Hurricane Milton and will work with state and federal officials to help alleviate supply issues and enable normal operations to resume as quickly and safely as possible after the storm has passed," said API spokesperson Scott Lauermann in a statement to FOX Business

This is an excerpt from a FOX Business article by Eric Revell.

Police officers rescued a family after a tree crashed into their Tampa home as Hurricane Milton rampaged over Florida.

The terrified family made a desperate 911 call after 15 people, including children, became trapped in the single-family home. Nearby Tampa police officers who were seeking shelter at the time responded to the home during a break in the storm bands, the Tampa Police Department said. 

The residents were evacuated to a nearby emergency shelter. Before leaving, one officer shut off the main power to the house to prevent a possible fire. 

"Every member of this department is committed to the safety of our community," Police Chief Lee Bercaw said, according to FOX Weather. "The swift actions taken by these officers during a break in the storm bands provided this family with a sense of safety in a time of fear and uncertainty."

The Tampa Police Department warns that many roads are impassable due to fallen trees, downed power lines and flooding. Residents are advised to stay off the roads until conditions improve.  

Storm chaser Chris Hall said that Florida's west coast "looked like a war zone" as Hurricane Milton made landfall late Wednesday.

Hall went to downtown Sarasota to be there when the storm hit. "Just the amount of power flashes, and you can hear the trees snapping in the town. It just sounded like a war zone," he told Fox News. 

He said it took nearly 2.5 hours to travel from Sarasota to Tampa after the storm swept through, a trip that usually would take about an hour.

"At the time, we barely made it back to I-75 to come north and the the barrier islands, most of them were blocked off during the duration of the hurricane. But we are going to go back down there today and we are going to assess the damage," he said.

Hall said his team recorded gusts of over 100 mph in downtown Sarasota. 

Video shot by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration drone shows a massive 28-foot wave crashing inside Hurricane Milton before it made landfall in western Florida on Wednesday.

Milton was rated at a category 5 throughout Wednesday before dipping to a category 3 just before it slammed into the Florida coast.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the storm was "significant," but he added that it was "not the worst-case scenario."

The storm also spawned multiple tornadoes across southern Florida, wreaking even more havoc amid the storm surge.

The state has deployed some 10,000 national guardsman, roughly 3,000 of which have been sent to assist by other states.

First responders began search and rescue missions at first light Thursday morning after conditions dipped below hurricane-force winds.

Social media was aghast at a handful of Floridians who chose to ignore evacuation orders and ride out Hurricane Milton in their homes this week.

One man, who has come to be known as "Lt. Dan," went viral for his plans to ride out the massive storm in his sailboat. Meanwhile, social media influence Caroline Calloway shocked her followers by announcing she would be staying in her waterfront condo in Sarasota, Florida, just south of Tampa.

Joseph "Lt. Dan" Malinowski, who is missing his left leg, had a biblical explanation for his stubbornness.

"I’m not going anywhere because the safest place to be is on a boat in a flood," told TikTok user Tampa Terrence. "We learned that with Noah. Everyone who stayed on land drowned. Noah and the animals lived."

News Nation reporter Brian Entin confirmed that Malinowski was alive and well aboard his sailboat after the storm. He posted a video of him calling out to "Lt. Dan" just before midnight on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Calloway joked on her Instagram story ahead of the storm that the price of her books would go "WAY up" if she died in the storm.

"Order now," she wrote.

Calloway explained her decision to ride out the storm in an interview with Intelligencer on Wednesday. She said she has been partly influenced by past bad experiences when trying to evacuate from hurricanes.

"It is just choosing between so many terrible choices. It’s like, okay, so we get evacuated here, but then we left up all of our neighbors. And also we’ll be stuck in traffic. I can’t drive. Remember, I spent my full last 20s either in England or in the West Village. I never got a license, so I would’ve had to wait until my mom came and got me to evacuate, which really would’ve put us behind on the traffic. So we’d be what in traffic in just a hotel that was also getting tropical. I doubt we could have made it out of the state of Florida in time, assuming that we wouldn’t have been able to leave until Tuesday morning, I think is probably the earliest she could have come and got me. So it’s just like what? We’d be somewhere else in the state in a less sturdy structure with less terrible weather, but without our neighbors, what do you choose? It’s all very difficult, and this is what I chose," she told the outlet.

Robert Carruthers, a major general in the Florida National Guard, joined 'America's Newsroom' to discuss his assessment of the path of destruction left by Hurricane Milton on Thursday.

Fox News showed shocking footage of the devastation at Bradenton Beach, Florida, where beachfront buildings were bashed and mounds of sand had been pushed inland. Carruthers detailed the response from the Florida National Guard, saying some 10 thousand guardsman had been deployed, including 3,000 sent from states across the country.

Carruthers says responders mobilized at first light after conditions died down below hurricane-force winds. They have already begun search and rescue operations as well as assessments of damage across the state.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered an update on the storm Thursday morning, saying the storm was "significant," but "not the worst case scenario."

President Biden praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for being "gracious" as he spoke with him about mitigating multiple hurricanes hitting Florida.

There has been an ongoing feud between Vice President Kamala Harris’ team and DeSantis in recent days. NBC News reported Monday that DeSantis has been denying phone calls from Harris' team, but it seems the governor and the president are on far better terms.

During a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday, Real Clear Politics reporter Philip Wegmann asked, "Mr. President, does Governor DeSantis need to take Vice President Harris’s calls?"

"All I can tell you is I’ve talked to Governor DeSantis," Biden answered. "He's been very gracious. He thanked me for all we've done. He knows what we're doing, and I think that's important."

Biden has had multiple phone calls with DeSantis since Hurricane Helene began barreling down on the southeast two weeks ago, followed by Hurricane Milton making landfall late Wednesday, and told both DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to "call him directly" if any further support is needed. 

DeSantis, meanwhile, noted Tuesday morning that all his federal requests for more support have been answered. 

Harris has accused DeSantis of "playing political games" amid the hurricanes.

"People are in desperate need of support right now and playing political games with this moment, in these crisis situations, these are the height of emergency situations, it's just utterly irresponsible, and it is selfish," Harris told reporters Monday. 

Biden, by contrast, had instead referred to the Florida governor as "cooperative."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Alexander Hall

Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez joined "Fox & Friends" on Thursday to discuss the destruction left by Hurricane Milton, which slammed into the Sunshine State as a Category 3 storm late Wednesday.

Núñez said that officials knew ahead of time the storm would be "far-reaching," and so Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an emergency order days in advance that included 51 of the state's 67 counties. 

"So the tornadoes really were something of concern for us yesterday, all throughout yesterday. We were encouraging people to stay safe, to stay indoors. But as you saw, we're waking up this morning to all the devastation and all the damage," she said. 

"Hurricane Milton indeed packs a punch, but Florida is ready under the leadership of Governor DeSantis. And we're going to continue to help people rebuild." 

DeSantis told reporters Thursday that officials are still analyzing damage from the storm. 

“We will better understand the extent of the damage as the day progresses,” he said. “The storm was significant but thankfully, this was not the worst case scenario.”

Hurricane Milton caused significant damage in west-central Florida, including in the community of Plant City, according to a local official. 

"One of the most profound things that I'm seeing out there is the flooding . We have flooding in places and to levels that I've never seen, and I've lived in this community my entire life," Plant City Manager Bill McDaniel said in a video posted on social media. 

"It's absolutely staggering what we're seeing out there." 

McDaniel said police and fire department personnel rescued 35 individuals from flooded structures in the community. Trees and powerlines are down and it is not safe to drive, he warned. 

"I mentioned in the previous broadcast about a vehicle crash that we had heard. That was actually a case of someone driving around out there on our streets and they hit a downed power line at relatively high speed, and it actually sliced into the engine compartment of the vehicle. That's a good indication of why it's very dangerous to get out there and move around right now."  

The Tampa airport is repairing minimal damage and is expected to reopen on Friday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday at a press conference. 

Speaking from the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, he also indicated that ocean ports will likely be able to resume operations "very quickly." 

Some Florida schools may reopen on Friday as well. 

"We still have a lot of school closures for today. I think Floridians should just keep in contact with their their local officials about what that's going to be," DeSantis said. "I would imagine a lot of the schools, that we're not necessarily in the direct path of the storm will be open tomorrow." 

DeSantis said the state has not officially confirmed any fatalities, but “that does not mean there has not been any,” he said. He said he’s aware of reports of fatalities associated with tornadoes on the eastern side of the state.

The Associated Press contributed to this update.

Residents are rescued from an their second story apartment complex in Clearwater that was flooded from and overflowing creek due to Hurricane Milton on October 10, 2024 in Florida. At least four people were confirmed killed as a result of two tornadoes triggered by Hurricane Milton on the east coast of the US state of Florida, local authorities said Thursday. (Photo by Bryan R. SMITH / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said rescue operations were underway Thursday morning after Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Sarasota County overnight.

"At least 48 individuals have been rescued as of 06:30," the governor reported. "National guard search and rescue teams have worked overnight and successfully executed rescues of families and pets on the west coast and from the destruction of the tornadoes in the central and eastern parts of Florida."

There are 31 operational rescue aircraft and hundreds of rescuers engaged in more than 125 active missions in 26 Florida counties, in addition to over 6,500 soldiers deployed throughout the state, according to DeSantis.

Power has been restored to 635,000 residents since the hurricane made landfall, the governor said, although there are still 3.1 million people without power. Hillsborough, Hardee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota Counties are the areas with the most power outages. 

"There are 50,000 plus linemen that have been pre-staged. A lot of what they'll do this morning is likely assess the damage and then begin restoration operations very quickly," DeSantis said.

PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, Flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis provided an update on Hurricane Milton Thursday morning after the storm made landfall overnight and moved north east through the Sunshine State.

"Around 8:30 p.m. last night, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County. It moved quickly across central Florida overnight, producing significant flooding and damaging winds near its path. The storm did bring much destruction and damage," DeSantis said. 

The governor said tornadoes ravaged the eastern part of the state ahead of Milton's landfall. He reported flooding along the west and east coasts and strong winds in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota Counties. 

"We had over 80,000 people that were into shelters overnight as the storm hit the state. We will better understand the extent of the damage as the day progresses," DeSantis said, adding that first responders have been working through the night to assist people in distress.

"And what we can say is the storm was significant, but thankfully, this was not the worst case scenario. 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." 

A Florida small business owner said he is "experiencing the worst" for his store after Hurricane Milton made landfall just weeks following Hurricane Helene.

Cariloha Sarasota store owner Jeff Snell spoke to "Fox & Friends" on Thursday about his experience. Snell's store was flooded two weeks ago and with Milton making landfall in his backyard, the business owner said he was faced with "total destruction." 

"It is our sole source of income. And after Helene, we started looking for another job while we were rebuilding. And hopefully the stores are still standing so we can rebuild them now with some help," he said. 

Snell lives in Venice, just south of Sarasota. He evacuated to Ft. Lauderdale ahead of Milton after seeing the damage that Helene wrought. 

"It's extremely stressful," he said. "We're worried about our parents who live up in the Brandon Valrico area now, and they're in their upper 80s. So I don't know how they're doing. And we'll wake up to see like everybody else how bad our home is flooded."

Volusia County Fire Rescue personnel respond to an emergency call in flood waters before dawn as Hurricane Milton moved through central Florida, in south Daytona, Florida, U.S. October 10, 2024. Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal/USA Today Network via REUTERS

First responders in Florida are answering emergency calls for rescue from the dangerous flood waters caused by Hurricane Milton.

Volusia County Fire Rescue personnel were pictured saving someone from flooding in a pre-dawn rescue Thursday morning.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management warned of dangerous tropical storm force winds, flooding and storm surge in the East Coast and Central Florida as Hurricane Milton continues to move offshore. 

"Avoid flooded areas at all costs & continue to follow all weather alerts," authorities posted on social media. 

A significant portion of Volusia County, which includes Daytona Beach, is currently without power, FOX Weather reported. Daytona Beach was categorized as a Level 4 risk for both storm surge and freshwater flooding.

FOX Weather Meteorologist Haley Meier was on scene and reported there appeared to be less flooding in Daytona Beach compared to previous hurricanes.

"With (Hurricanes) Ian and with Nicole, we had a dam breach and that led to the significant flooding. In regard to this storm, (city officials) have made the necessary preps. So I'm not seeing that in abundance," she said. 

The St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center confirmed to FOX Weather that at least four people were killed after several tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton touched down on Wednesday.

Sheriff Keith Pearson said search and rescue crews were mobilizing to find victims in Spanish Lakes Country Club in Fort Pierce, where a significant tornado ripped through.

"They didn’t stand a chance," Pearson said. "Everything in (the tornado's) path is just devastated. Our deputies are out there even while the storm Milton is approaching with National Guardsmen, with search and rescue teams going through the rubble."

The sheriff reported that hundreds of homes were either damaged or destroyed in the county. The exact number of people trapped and in need of rescue is unknown.

"We’ve got about 300 members of law enforcement and volunteers out there sifting through these residences on the rescue mission to see if we can get anybody else out of there," Pearson told FOX Weather. 

The sheriff's office was among those buildings that were damaged. A video taken outside the headquarters showed a 10,000 square foot building that was demolished by a tornado. Pearson said no one was inside and no one was injured.  

A vehicle is stranded on a water-flooded street after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Brandon, Florida on October 9, 2024. (MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images)

Residents of Sarasota County, Florida should not travel Thursday morning as the roads are reported to be dangerous after Hurricane Milton passed, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

Reports from "first-in" emergency crews indicated downed power lines and trees have blocked roadways, the sheriff's office said in a social media post. Some bridges in the county are not passable.

"We urge residents and business owners to stay off the roads and give our emergency and utility crews time to work. The storm may have passed but it is still dangerous to be traveling this morning," the sheriff's office said.

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key in Sarasota County late Wednesday. Wind gusts reached 102 mph in St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Siesta Key, while the strongest gust in the state was 107 mph south of Sarasota around Venice, FOX Weather reported. 

President Biden spoke with Sarasota Mayor Liz Alper on Wednesday and reassured the mayor that the federal government will provide significant resources to aid rescue, recovery and rebuilding operations in impacted communities. 

Powerful winds from Hurricane Milton have forced a construction crane to collapse in downtown St. Petersburg, leaving what is described as a "gaping hole" in an office building. 

The crane tumbled overnight from 400 Central Avenue, according to Fox13 Tampa Bay. The 515-foot-tall luxury condominium high-rise will be "one of the tallest residential buildings on the west coast of Florida" upon its completion in summer 2025, its website says. 

There were no reports of injuries from the collapse, but the Tampa Bay Times says the crane left a "gaping hole" in an office building that houses its headquarters, which had been evacuated in advance of Hurricane Milton’s arrival on Wednesday. 

A video taken at the scene showed one part of the crane resting against the office building while another part blocked off a street. 

Prior to the collapse, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch expressed concerns about the cranes and how they would fare during Milton, Fox13 Tampa Bay reports. 

Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (CSU/CIRA & NOAA)

Hurricane Milton has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

As of 5 a.m. Thursday, the storm was located about 10 miles northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, continuing north and east at a speed of 18 mph.

The weather service uses the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale to estimate potential property damage caused by a hurricane’s sustained wind speed. A Category 1 hurricane is considered to have very dangerous winds that topple shallow-rooted trees, snap tree limbs and damage the exterior of well-constructed frame homes. They can also cause extensive damage to power lines.

Hurricane Milton was a Category 3 storm when it made landfall Wednesday evening. That rating means devastating damage is expected to occur, including roofs torn from well-constructed homes, trees uprooted, and electricity and water systems unavailable for days to weeks.

In addition to high speed winds, the hurricane has spawned several deadly tornadoes that tore through Florida communities Wednesday afternoon. Heavy rain and storm surges have also caused dangerous flooding in coastal areas.

The Associated Press contributed to this update.

Former President Trump's family is hosting 275 Florida Power and Light linemen at his hotel in Miami due to Hurricane Milton.

"You are amazing and the Trump Family, and entire state of Florida, appreciates you!" the former president's son, Eric Trump, wrote on the social media platform X. "Enjoy the rooms - they are the best in Florida! Be safe!"

The linemen are slated to respond to the aftermath of the hurricane.

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, which tracks utility reports.

At a news conference in Tallahassee, Gov. Ron DeSantis described deployment of a wide range of resources, including 9,000 National Guard members from Florida and other states; over 50,000 utility workers from as far as California; and highway patrol cars with sirens to escort gasoline tankers to replenish supplies so people could fill up their tanks before evacuating.

Fox News Digital's Landon Mion and the Associated Press contributed to this update.

More than 3 million people in Florida are without power Thursday morning after Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key last night as a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 mph, devastating the state's west coast.

Milton, which is a Category 1 storm at the time of this report, has currently moved off Florida's east coast after bringing damaging winds, flooding rains and a developing storm surge threat to that area.

More than 10 inches of rain has fallen so far in some parts of Florida and an additional 8 to 12 inches of rain is possible in many areas as a result of Hurricane Milton. In St. Petersburg, where the roof was torn off the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field, 18 inches of rain was recorded over a 24-hour span, according to Fox Weather.

St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson also confirmed to Fox Weather that there have been 17 tornadoes along with several fatalities in his county, with "a rescue mission ongoing, and hundreds of homes destroyed."

Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom, Bradford Betz, Gabriele Regalbuto, Stepheny Price, Landon Mion and Greg Norman contributed to this update.