When the hurricane passes over the Florida Peninsula and eventually exits into the Atlantic Ocean later on Thursday, heavy rainfall is predicted to cause flooding inland along rivers and lakes.

As a powerful Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday, Hurricane Milton tore across Florida, displacing over 2.6 million people from their homes and wreaking havoc along the shore.

Communities still recuperating from Hurricane Helene were hit hard by the hurricane, which had gusts of up to 100 mph (160 kph) and multiple tornadoes.

When Milton made landfall in Siesta Key, close to Sarasota, about 70 miles (112 km) south of Tampa, the Tampa region was severely affected.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood advisories for the St. Petersburg area as well as other areas of western and central Florida after the city received more than 16 inches (41 centimetres) of rain.

The Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium, Tropicana Field, sustained significant damage as the wind’s unrelenting force tore apart the fabric roof. The storm overturned several nearby cranes, making it obvious that there was devastation even if the amount of the inside damage is still unknown.

When a water main break in St. Petersburg led the city to shut off water supply, leaving citizens without access to tap water, the flooding and mayhem got worse.

According to poweroutage.us, a website that tracks utility reports, over 2.6 million homes and businesses in Florida were without power, according to the AP.

Even before Milton touched down, tornadoes were making landfalls around the state.

Homes were destroyed and fatalities were recorded in the Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce, which is situated on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.

Keith Pearson, the sheriff for St. Lucie County, told WPBF News that “we have lost some life,” but he would not say how many.

Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, stated that approximately 125 homes—mostly mobile homes in senior communities—were damaged before the hurricane made landfall.

Milton became a Category 2 hurricane not long after it made landfall. About 40 miles (65 kilometres) southwest of Orlando, it had reduced to a Category 1 hurricane by early Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of about 90 mph (145 kph).

When the hurricane passes over the Florida Peninsula and eventually exits into the Atlantic Ocean later on Thursday, heavy rainfall is predicted to cause flooding inland along rivers and lakes.

It is anticipated that the hurricane would have a major effect on the heavily populated Orlando region.

At least 230 people had died across the South as a result of Hurricane Helene, which flooded homes and streets in western Florida two weeks before the hurricane made landfall.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced at a press conference in Tallahassee the mobilisation of copious resources, including over 50,000 utility workers from as far away as California, 9,000 National Guard members from Florida and other states, and highway patrol cars to escort petrol tankers restocking supplies for those fleeing.

“Sadly, there will be some who die. There really isn’t a way around that, in DeSantis’ opinion.

A tornado struck the sparsely populated Everglades on Wednesday morning, severing Interstate 75, and another struck Fort Myers, breaking tree limbs and damaging the canopy of a petrol station.

About 7.2 million people in 15 Florida counties were ordered to evacuate, with mandatory orders being issued. Authorities warned that people who stayed behind would be on their own since they did not anticipate that first responders would be available to perform rescues when the storm was at its strongest.