More than 2.8 million are without power after 120mph winds from Category 3 storm Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida cities.
A barrage of tornadoes struck settlements along the coast, although a direct hit on Tampa was avoided.
The storm tracked to the south in the final hours and made landfall Wednesday night in Siesta Key near Sarasota, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa.
The situation in the Tampa area was still a major emergency as St Petersburg recorded over 16 inches (41 centimeters) of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of flash flooding there as well as other parts of western and central Florida.
The roof of Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, appeared to be badly damaged
AP
Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team in St Petersburg, appeared badly damaged.
The fabric that serves as the domed stadium’s roof was ripped to shreds by the fierce winds. It was not immediately clear if there was damage inside. Multiple cranes were also toppled in the storm, the weather service said.
St Petersburg residents also could no longer get water from their household taps because a water main break led the city to shut down service.
The storm knocked out power across a large section of Florida, with more than 2.8 million homes and businesses without power as of early Thursday, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.
US President Joe Biden delivers remarks about preparations for Hurricane Milton from the Roosevelt Room
REUTERS
Several YouTube webcams are in place to help monitor the weather as the hurricane hits.