TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After Hurricane Milton ravaged Southwest Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said its impacts are still being felt.
Speaking in Tallahassee, the governor said the Tampa Bay area and large swaths of Southwest Florida and I-4 corridor received 10-15 inches of rain, scattered tornadoes, strong winds and sizable storm surges. Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties received isolated pockets of 18 inches of rain. Storm surges did not reach as high as predicted, he said.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: ‘No es el peor de los casos’: DeSantis dice que los rescates y restauraciones por Milton están en marcha
The storm's devastation was "significant, but not the worst case scenario" he said.
"We'll better understand the extent of the damage as the day progresses," DeSantis added.
The St. Johns River's waters could still rise, however, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said.
The river's basin has been heavily saturated by rain and it usually takes 45 days to flush itself out. Rising water will impact Seminole, Brevard and Volusia counties first and Putnam, St. Johns, Flagler, Clay and Duval counties in the coming days, Guthrie said. St. Johns and Flagler counties continue to grapple with high water levels and debris impeding residents Thursday morning.
"That's going to be a long term effort," Guthrie added.
DeSantis said the state is working to determine the number of fatalities and it's currently too early for confirmation. At least four people have been killed in St. Lucie County on the East Coast, according to local officials.
Approximately 80,000 people went to a shelter, DeSantis said. More than 3 million accounts do not have power and there have been 635,000 restorations since the storm made landfall. There were 80,000 lineman staged prior to the storm.
Dozens of people have been rescued so far, DeSantis added.
He urged people avoid the post-hurricane cautions such as downed powerlines, tree debris and standing water.