At least five dead after Hurricane Milton ravishes Florida

At least five people have died after Hurricane Milton lashed the US state of Florida, according to state Governor Ron Desantis.

Desantis did not provide further details on the deaths, but earlier, officials from St Lucie County, on the east coast, confirmed four deaths in the area, which they say were the result of at least two tornadoes that hit before Milton itself arrived yesterday.

The storm has caused widespread damage and destruction across the state, with more than three million homes and businesses left without power.

Desantis says some areas on the west coast saw 45cm of rain and adds flooding remained possible in the coming days.

He stresses nonetheless, what Florida experienced was not the worst-case scenario, and some 80,000 people stayed in shelters overnight.

Source:BBC