Anderson Cooper was hit by debris during hurricane coverage in Florida

Hurricane Milton raged across Florida, causing at least four weather-related deaths as of Thursday morning.

While reporting on the storm for CNN, Anderson Cooper was apparently hit by a piece of flying debris – and it was caught on camera.

“The wind has really picked up. The water really moves. You get a real sense of how fast the water is moving there,” Anderson says in the footage. “You can see it in the light there. It just whips off the Manatee River. It comes from the north, I guess, northeast. And the water is really starting to flow now. When you look at that — whoa!”

Then an object appears to hit him.

“That wasn’t good,” he says, noting that he and his colleagues “will probably go in soon.”

He then stays in the storm, describing the fierce winds and dangerous flooding as first responders rush to rescue those in distress.

“I’ve seen a few emergency vehicles drive over the bridge in the last hour or so,” he said. “It looks like one is coming our way.”

But you can really get a sense of how much water is coming to land now.

It wasn't immediately known what hit Cooper, but he later picked up something he said was “from the river” and said it was “just Styrofoam.”

“So yeah, that's just one of those things where we're starting to see things that are in the river itself rip open and then blow up,” he says.

Hurricane Milton barreled into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after slamming into parts of Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis said it knocked out power to more than 3 million customers. The storm claimed at least four lives and worsened the misery caused by Helene – while sparing Tampa a direct hit.

DeSantis said the hurricane made landfall in Sarasota County as a Category 3 storm around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and then moved across the central part of the state. He said the storm caused “significant flooding, strong winds and destructive tornadoes.”

The governor said search and rescue operations began overnight as soon as the storm passed and were underway starting Thursday.

“National Guard, State Guard and Fish and Wildlife Commission personnel, as well as local law enforcement and first responders, are engaged in rescue operations in affected areas,” he noted on X. “More than 50,000 Border Patrol agents are in Florida working to restore power as efficiently and safely as possible. When inspecting damage and cleaning up your property, be aware of hazards such as downed power lines and operate generators a safe distance from your home.

He also said the state Department of Transportation is working to remove fallen trees and branches from roads, while 150 inspectors are ensuring bridges can be safely reopened.

“If you do not live in the area, do not attempt to travel to areas affected by Hurricane Milton – keep the roads clear for first responders, FDOT personnel and commercial vehicles,” he said.

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

“We will let you know when it is safe to come out,” Sheriff Chad Chronister of Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, said on Facebook.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.