TAMPA, Fla. — Hurricane Milton tore through the Tampa Bay region after making landfall in Siesta Key as a Category 3 storm.
The storm left millions in the area without power and water. In some parts of the state, tornados ripped through buildings.
Even St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, took a hard hit with the roof being ripped off from the high winds.
Now that the storm is almost out of Florida, local law enforcement is starting to get out and assess the damage.
Many are warning residents not to travel as there is a lot of debris and downed power lines making roads impassable.
Here are some photos so far of the damage in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. For county-by-county damage reports, see below.
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Hurricane Milton damage reports
Pinellas County
Just before 6 a.m., the sheriff's office said all access points into Pinellas County are closed as officials start to assess the damage.
A Facebook post described "extensive damage in certain parts of the county including downed trees, downed power infrastructure, and flooding that make the roadways extremely dangerous."
"Additionally, power is out in 60% of the county and there is no potable water or sewer in the City of St. Petersburg, Gulfport, and Lealman," the post said. "We’re asking residents to continue to shelter in place and stay off the roadways. If you left the county, do not return until the county is reopened."
A crane came down along 1st Avenue South near the Tampa Bay Times offices in St. Petersburg, which you can see photos of in the gallery above.
Hillsborough County
The sheriff's office described several scenes where damage is being assessed.
- Rescue operations were started around 5:45 a.m., according to a Facebook post, in Town N Country at Waters Ave./Hanley Road. The sheriff's office said teams were on the ground moving people to safety.
- Flooding and downed trees reported at Dana Shores.
- Tree cutting/clearing going on at Westbrook Avenue & Lithia Pinecrest Road.
- Downed tree and power line at intersection of Bloomingdale Avenue and Kings Avenue.
Sarasota County
Before 5 a.m., the sheriff's office said it was getting its first initial damage reports, which included some bridges in the county being impassible.
"We urge residents and business owners to stay off the roads and give our emergency and utility crews time to work," the sheriff's office said. "The storm may have passed but it is still dangerous to be traveling this morning."
Pasco County
The sheriff's office said it has received over 140 calls so far of roadway obstructions and they are "working to remove these hazards as quickly as possible."
Manatee County
A little after 5 a.m., the sheriff's office said deputies were beginning to "assess damage and evaluate when it’s safe for residents to start traveling around."
"We know many of you want to get back to the neighborhoods you evacuated from to check on loved ones, and properties, but trees and power lines are down, making many roads impassable," the sheriff's office said.
The county government also shared a message from Florida Power and Light:
Polk County
The sheriff's office after midnight confirmed flooding across more than two dozen intersections, tree debris and total blockages at four more intersections -- see here for full list of each -- and dangerous power lines down at the following locations:
- Highway 630 & East Walk in Water Road (Frostproof)
- Cherry Lane & Dunn Road (Lakeland)
- Hillside Drive & Phillips Street (Mulberry)
- Gordon Street (Mulberry)
- Kokomo Road & 5400 (Haines City)
- Crest Lane (Highlands City)
- French Avenue North (Fort Meade)
- Georgia Avenue (Highlands City)
In addition, a Polk County worker was hit and killed while working to clean up the devastation left behind by Hurricane Milton.
Hernando County
The sheriff's office has a running list of road blockages and responses here. As of 6:30 a.m., there were 36 such incidents.
Crews also responded to a house fire:
Hardee County
So far, downed power lines, debris and washed out roadways have been reported, and at 6:30 a.m. the sheriff's office said deputies were working to "clear the roadways for emergency personnel and relief to make its way through the county."
Citrus County
"Many areas across our county are without power due to impacts from Hurricane Milton," the sheriff's office reported after 1 a.m.
A 46-year-old man was killed early Thursday morning after a tree fell on his car during Hurricane Milton, Florida Highway Patrol said in a news release.
Highlands County
The sheriff's office advised before 6 a.m. that there are reports of downed power lines and first responders will "need time to assess the damage" as the sun rises.