Sarasota, Florida - Hurricane Milton closed in on Florida Wednesday, unleashing tornadoes and threatening a wide swath of the state with life-threatening flooding, as residents made last-minute preparations for impact and the country's top politicians sparred over relief efforts.

Tidal surges are expected to inundate the heavily populated and low-lying Gulf Coast, with the cities of Tampa and Sarasota bracing for a direct hit, amid rising fears of widespread chaos and possible fatalities.

Milton, now a strong Category 3 hurricane, is then expected to rip through inland areas to the Atlantic Ocean, with tourist hub Orlando – home to Walt Disney World – in its path.

In Sarasota, as the rain intensified, streets were increasingly deserted, with most businesses shuttered and sandbagged for protection. Residents sought refuge at evacuation centers.

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The Weather Channel reported "numerous tornadoes" touching down in central and southern Florida.

"It's time to shelter-in-place from #Milton," the National Weather Service said.

In Florida, officials again warned those in danger zones to seek safe shelter.

"This hurricane is going to pack a major, major punch and do an awful lot of damage," Governor Ron DeSantis told a press briefing.

At 5:00 PM ET, Milton was located 60 miles west-southwest of Sarasota, generating maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

"The center of Milton will make landfall near or just south of the Tampa Bay region this evening, move across the central part of the Florida peninsula overnight, and emerge off the east coast of Florida on Thursday," the NHC said.

The airports in Tampa and Sarasota were closed until further notice.

At Walt Disney World in Orlando, which was expected to receive a big hit once Milton crosses the peninsula, visitors got a few rides in before the theme park closed shortly after midday.