At least four people have been confirmed dead in Florida after Hurricane Milton barreled across the state earlier today, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

There were fears Tampa would be battered by the eye of the storm before Milton tracked south, sparing the city of some 3.1 million a direct hit – but the region was still plunged into a state of major emergency.

The city itself saw significant and St. Petersburg recorded over 16 inches (41 centimetres) of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of flash flooding there as well as other parts of western and central Florida.

Further south, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office reported localised flooding and storm surge, and Lorraine Anderson, the public information officer for Venice Beach, said the area saw an estimated 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2 meters) of storm surge.

As dawn broke Thursday, officials repeated that the danger had not passed – surge warnings were issued for much of the east-central coast of Florida and northward into Georgia, and tropical storm warnings were in place along the coast into South Carolina.

Officials in the hard-hit Florida counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota and Lee urged people to stay home, warning of downed power lines, trees in roads, blocked bridges and flooding.

Tampa mayor Jane Castor added she was pleased the area did not see storm surges close to the predicted levels of 15 feet, which could have submerged entire houses.

But she urged residents to stay inside and warned that ‘it’s not over’, insisting that Hillsborough County could flood as the high tide returned from 7am EST.

Meanwhile, some evacuees who were fortunate enough to make their way back into their properties after leaving shelters today were met with a terrifying surprise.

Clips surfaced on social media showing how unsuspecting residents returned home to be confronted by alligators who had worked their way into flooded houses and gardens.

+74
View gallery

At least four people were confirmed killed as a result of two tornadoes triggered by Hurricane Milton on the east coast of the US state of Florida, local authorities said Thursday

+74
View gallery

In this aerial view, Flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida

+74
View gallery

In this aerial view, flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda

Residents are rescued from an their second story apartment complex in Clearwater

+74
View gallery

A drone image shows the dome of Tropicana Field which has been torn open due to Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024

+74

A crane that collapsed into a building is seen in downtown St. Petersburg due to Hurricane Milton on October 10, 2024 in Florida

+74
View gallery

A construction crane is pictured after falling over into an office building that houses the Tampa Bay Times headquarters, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024

Shocking moments of transformer explosions during Hurricane Milton