The death toll from Hurricane Milton has officially risen to a total of 16, with efforts from emergency services to reach those stranded and unaccounted for still ongoing.
The category three storm made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida on Wednesday night and tore across the southeastern state on Thursday before moving out across the Atlantic Ocean.
Residents in the path of the storm were placed under a mandatory evacuation order, however many stayed behind, some in a bid to protect their property and others sheltering in place believing it was safer than facing the lengthening highway queues.
More than two million homes and businesses are still without power and thousands of Floridians have been rescued from areas devastated by storm surges as authorities warn there may still be more flooding to come.
The storm, described as a once-in-a-century event, has already proved fatal and the death toll could still climb as rescue workers are continuing to make their way through flooded areas.
On Thursday, The US Coast Guard rescued a fishing boat captain left clinging to a cooler 30 miles from shore after his boat ran into trouble on Wednesday.
Hillsborough County’s Marine Unit rescued a 14-year-old boy found stranded and floating amongst hurricane debris in floodwaters.
16 people have been confirmed dead across Florida, including a woman in her 70s in Tampa who was killed by a fallen tree branch. In Citrus County, a driver was also killed after a tree fell on a vehicle.
The most deaths have been reported in St. Lucie County, where tornadoes triggered by Hurricane Milton killed six people.
A total of 45 tornadoes were reported as Hurricane Milton ripped through Florida, with at least 19 confirmed.
Florida’s authorities have warned the coming days are likely to bring more flooding, pushing more water into areas already pooled with the remnants of Hurricane Milton’s storm surges.
The alert is particularly relevant for neighbourhoods directly along the coastline as the tide will affect the rise and fall of flood waters.
At least 100 homes have been destroyed in the storm and, in St Petersburg alone, 100 traffic lights and 30 water lines are down, mostly due to fallen trees.
The roof of the Tropicana Field Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, was shredded by strong winds in St. Petersburg.
On Thursday evening, President Biden warned the conditions in Florida remain “very dangerous” and rebuilding from the aftermath of Hurricane Milton is likely to cost “significant amounts of money”.