Hurricane Milton has made landfall in Florida, causing widespread devastation and prompting authorities to urge residents to evacuate the state as quickly as possible.

U.S. President Joe Biden has referred to the hurricane as the “storm of the century,” underscoring the severity of the situation.

Reports indicate that over 3 million homes and businesses have been left without power across the state, while confirmed fatalities are emerging from multiple cities and regions.

The hurricane’s destruction has caused significant disruption to essential services, with entire communities facing life-threatening challenges.

In St. Petersburg, residents are now without access to clean drinking water after officials were forced to shut down the water system due to extensive hurricane damage.

Authorities have advised all residents to boil any water used for drinking, cooking, or brushing their teeth, as the water supply is now compromised.

To add to the dire situation, emergency services in many cities and towns have warned that it is too dangerous for them to respond to calls for help.

The combination of power outages, impassable roads, and ongoing storm conditions has left many communities isolated, with authorities urging people to take every precaution to stay safe until it is possible to offer assistance.

The impact of Hurricane Milton is proving to be catastrophic, with recovery efforts expected to be extensive and challenging in the days and weeks to come.