Hurricane Milton plows across US Florida, leaving at least 9 dead

NEW YORK -- Hurricane Milton hit the southeast US state of Florida overnight with strong winds, destructive tornadoes and heavy rain, leaving at least 9 dead and millions of people without power as of Thursday morning.

Milton made its landfall along the west-central coast of Florida on Wednesday night as a Category 3 storm and weakened to a Category 1 as it plowed quickly across central Florida.

St. Lucie County confirmed four fatalities as a result of tornadoes spawned by hurricane.

"Numerous homes and structures across St. Lucie County, including the City of Port St. Lucie and unincorporated areas, suffered significant damage," said the county in a news release.

"As Hurricane Milton makes its way into the Atlantic, St. Lucie County Emergency Management officials strongly encourage residents to stay off the roads and stay inside until it has been deemed safe to do so," said the release, adding that unnecessary traffic or bystanders will hinder response and recovery efforts.

Three people were confirmed died in Volusia County, including one person killed after a tree fell, according to NBC News.

In addition, two storm-related fatalities occurred in City of St. Petersburg, the news outlet reported.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wrote on X Thursday morning that over 3 million households are without power.

Milton is the fifth hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast so far in 2024 with three of them striking Florida.