Hurricane Milton has made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

In a post on X, the National Hurricane Center confirmed that around 8:30 p.m., radar data indicated that the "eye" of the hurricane had officially reached land in Sarasota County. "Maximum sustained winds at landfall are estimated at 120 mph," the National Hurricane Center reported.

As Milton approached Florida, it was classified as a "dangerous Category 3" storm, as noted by CBS News. The catastrophic landfall comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene, which battered Florida before causing devastation in North Carolina. In preparation for Milton, Florida residents have been boarding up windows and evacuating their homes.

"Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida," the National Hurricane Center warned on Wednesday.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a statement on X urging residents to “shelter in place” as the hurricane made landfall. He emphasized that “as soon as weather conditions improve,” search and rescue operations would commence.

“As Hurricane Milton makes landfall near Sarasota County, now is the time to shelter in place,” DeSantis stated. “First responders are staged and ready to go as soon as conditions allow. Search and rescue efforts will begin before dawn and will continue as long as necessary to save lives.”