Hurricane Milton floods Florida as police chief issues grim prediction: Live

Four people in St Lucie County have been killed by tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton ahead of landfall, officials said.

County Sheriff Keith Pearson previously confirmed that there had been “multiple deaths” after a dozen tornadoes spawned in St Lucie County within just 20 minutes.

One of which struck Spanish Lakes Country Club retirement village in Fort Pierce, causing several fatalities, Pearson said.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor expressed relief that less storm surge was recorded than anticipated, but issued an urgent warning to Hillsborough county residents.

The city situated on Florida’s west coast suffered extensive damage as Hurricane Milton passed through the state, Castor said early on Thursday in a news conference.

Much of the panic was lessened as storm surge levels being less than up to 15ft anticipated in the city, which “saved a lot, that’s what we were really worried about,” the mayor added.

Castor warned that battle against Milton isn’t quite over. Particularly for the wider county.

“At 7am (ET) when high tide comes in, rivers are going to flood all over Hillsborough County, not just in the city of Tampa,” she said.

Fires have broken out due to downed power lines following Hurricane Milton’s hurricane-force winds battering the state.

The Matlacha and Pine Island Fire Control District responded to multiple calls about structure fires that had broken out on the Gulf Coast island located in Lee County.

Photos posted on its Facebook account show the building ablaze, and then the smoldering ruins after it was put out.

“Crews made access to the island a few hours ago and are responding to several calls including structure fires. Please stay off the road. We have multiple lines and poles down!,” the fire department wrote on Thursday morning.

Floridians who refused to follow evacuation orders despite living in the path of Hurricane Milton were told to write their names on their arms in permanent marker so that their bodies could be identified if they were killed.

Millions of residents were instructed to leave their homes ahead of Milton making landfall Wednesday night along Florida’s west-central coast as a devastating Category 3 hurricane.

But those who failed to heed advice were issued a harrowing warning and were told to mark their limbs with their personal details to help officials identify their remains.

James Liddell has the story.

Storm surge is still too brutal for deployment of emergency workers across Sarasota County – after Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key less than 12 hours ago.

Jamie Carson, the county’s spokesperson, says that first responders could not intervene despite police receiving 1,400 calls since Milton slammed into the county.

When conditions become milder, emergency workers will be deployed to help those in need.

“So as soon as those winds die down, as soon as our tactical first in teams go out there and they clear those arteries, those major roadways, our first responders are going to go out there and start responding to those calls,” Carson told NPR.

In the wake of Hurricane Milton making landfall on Wednesday night, a police chief has shared a harrowing prediction about those who neglected mandatory orders to evacuate: their bodies may be found upon sunrise.

“What we’ll probably be finding in the morning are bodies…it’s bleak in some of these areas,” Chief of the Bradenton Police Department Melanie Bevan told BBC Radio 4’s Today program early Thursday morning.

Bevan noted that other county police chiefs had urged those staying put to write their names in permanent marker on their limbs “so that we can get hold of somebody to come claim you”.

Hurricane Milton is moving off the Florida east coast with residents warned of “damaging” hurricane-force winds, heavy rains and storm surge, the National Hurricane Center announced.

Sustained wind speeds remain at 85mph, with the Category 1 situated about 10 miles northeast of Cape Canaveral, the NHC said.

St Johns River and Altamaha Sound could experience up to four and five-feet of storm surge. An addition four-inches of rain could douse the central-east coast.