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Hurricane Milton Knocks Out Power To Over 3M, Spawning Dozens Of Tornadoes: Here's Latest

The second major hurricane to hit the US in as many weeks has just pushed off Florida's east coast, leaving a path of destruction, with about three million homes and businesses without power, causing life-threatening storm surge, and flash flooding.

Milton crisscrossed through Florida after making landfall near Sarasota in the middle of the evening on Wednesday, Oct. 9, before moving off the coast early Thursday morning, Oct. 10, around Cape Canaveral.

Milton crisscrossed through Florida after making landfall near Sarasota in the middle of the evening on Wednesday, Oct. 9, before moving off the coast early Thursday morning, Oct. 10, around Cape Canaveral.

Photo Credit: National Hurricane Center

Milton landed as a Category 3 storm with 120 mile-per-hour winds at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, on the west-central coast of Florida in Siesta Key near Sarasota, the National Hurricane Center said.

Numerous tornadoes were reported before landfall, including in areas well south of the eye of the storm. 

Scattered tornadoes continued as the storm raced across the state, and about two dozen twisters were reported overall.

There have been four confirmed storm-related fatalities in the state.

The storm moved off the coast into Atlantic waters early Thursday morning, Oct. 10, around Cape Canaveral. It was a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of around 85 mph.

During the height of the storm, Milton ripped off a portion of the roof of Tropicana Field, the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays. The stadium was used as a shelter for first responders providing storm relief.

At around. 7 a.m. on Thursday, 3,255,610 in Florida were without power.

St. Petersburg reported the most rainfall, 18.3 inches at around daybreak Thursday, with Clearwater Beacon second at 14 inches. About 11 inches of rain fell in Tampa.

Millions of people have evacuated from Florida's west-central coast.

Milton's winds peaked at 160 mph when it hit Cat 5 status on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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