Hurricane Milton lashes Florida with tornadoes and flooding; at least 13 dead: live updates

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At least 13 people have died after Hurricane Milton devastated parts of Florida and residents woke up to survey the damage.

Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County on Wednesday evening as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing with it multiple tornadoes, 28-foot waves, strong winds, heavy rains and a devastating storm surge.

Four people at the St. Lucie County retirement village were killed by tornadoes caused by the hurricane after a dozen tornadoes struck the region within 20 minutes.

Strong winds caused a crane to fall into the water The Tampa Bay Times in St. Petersburg, while the roof of the Tropicana Field baseball stadium is in poor condition.

More than 3.3 million homes and businesses in Florida are without power, with those in the west-central region hardest hit.

Evacuation warnings were sent out to millions of people, and Bradenton Police Chief Melanie offered a dire forecast for those who ignored the advice. “What we're likely to find tomorrow morning are bodies,” she told BBC Radio 4 Today Thursday morning program.

After making landfall, Milton has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane and continues to move off the east coast of Florida – residents are still battling strong winds and storm surge.