People have been ordered to stay indoors, even as Hurricane Milton moves away after smashing its way across Florida. Powerful winds ripped the roof off a stadium and caused a crane to collapse.
n Sarasota, a city without power, there was a generator soundtrack as residents woke to the destruction of Hurricane Milton.
Lack of power was a primary concern the morning after Hurricane Milton came calling.
It could have been worse – as bad as the storm had been, it didn’t bring the storm surge that had been forecast and feared.
Fallen trees were the main problem here – there was damage to property but not on a huge scale.
Fences were down, roof slates removed and property damaged by falling trees.
In the wake of a “historic” hurricane, however, it wasn’t a historic level of destruction.
In pictures: The morning after Milton struck
More images are emerging showing the scenes of devastation Floridians are waking up to.
They include this photo taken from a drone of damage to a neighbourhood in Matlacha on the state’s west coast.
The reaction of resident Marie Cook to damage in the town of Wellington, near Florida’s west coast, seems self-apparent.
The extent of the damage caused by a collapsed crane in the city of St Petersburg has also become clearer this morning.
The offices of the Tampa Bay Times were among the businesses affected in the city.
Fans of the Tampa Bay Rays have been waking up to see the baseball team’s stadium in St Petersburg no longer has a roof.
A car is seen smashed into the side of another home in Wellington.
While in the Davis Islands neighbourhood of Tampa, authorities have been surveying damage caused by fallen trees.
‘It was very frightening’: Florida-based mum explains stress and anxiety of living through storm
“I’m glad we stayed… but it was very frightening to live through it.”
These are the words of Summerna Khan, a Florida resident and mum-of-four, who chose to stay in her home last night when Hurricane Milton hit.
She told Sky News this afternoon she had renovated her home last year – adding storm-proof features like a metal roof and reinforced windows, over and above what is required by her local area.
“We went to one secure spot downstairs and that’s where we stayed for the whole night,” she explained.
“I don’t want to flee every time with four children but it is challenging.”
The family do not live in a flood zone but their area was at risk from high winds, she said.
Trees penetrated the roofs of five different homes in her area. One had a metal roof but the others were left with gaping holes in their ceilings.
Despite her precautions and circumstances meaning she cannot easily leave, the experience takes its toll every time a hurricane strikes.
Ms Khan said: “I cannot explain the level of stress and anxiety.
“It’s very loud, the wind is howling, the rain is non-stop.
“At one point my daughter was looking outside through the window and she kept saying ‘mumma I’m seeing blue flashes’. I couldn’t understand what that was until I realised it was the electric transformers.”
She added her neighbours were also scared and sheltering in their homes.
Boil water notices have been issued while the area copes with the aftermath.
Usually, power is restored within 24 hours – but this time it’s unclear when services will be brought back, Ms Khan added.
