Search-and-rescue efforts were underway in Florida on Thursday morning after Hurricane Milton spawned powerful tornadoes across the state that resulted in some loss of life, according to one county sheriff. The tornadoes were reported to have damaged more than a hundred structures around the state, and several people were injured, the authorities said.

At least 116 tornado warnings had been issued across Florida, governor Ron DeSantis said at a news conference just before 8 pm Eastern time on Wednesday.

DeSantis said there were 19 confirmed tornadoes in the state. A tornado warning is issued after a tornado is seen by a spotter or shows up on a radar. It is an urgent alert to take shelter. The National Weather Service later looks into each one for confirmation.

“Numerous counties have reported tornado damage,” DeSantis said.

Kevin Guthrie, the executive director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said that early reports indicated about 125 homes were destroyed, mostly mobile homes in senior communities.

New York Times News Service