The longtime CNN correspondent was reporting near the Manatee River in Bradenton, Florida, which is located just a few miles north of Siesta Key. “You could see it in the light there, [the wind] is just whipping off the Manatee River,” Cooper stated. “It’s coming in from the northeast and the water is really starting to pour over.”

However, as he continued to share more details about Hurricane Milton, Anderson Cooper was hit in the face by pieces of flying debris. “Woah!” he declared. “That wasn’t good. We’ll probably go inside shortly.”He then carried on his report about the storm before the coverage abruptly ended.

https://www.instagram.com/cnn/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9f92d6c2-c32d-4a39-a51e-dabb92348375&ig_mid=F7090507-F7AC-43A6-813B-31955BA0E394CNN anchor Kaitlin Collins assured viewers that Anderson Cooper was safe as Hurricane Milton made landfall. “I do want to note for everyone watching who is very concerned obviously about all of our correspondents and anchors on the ground, Anderson is okay.”Collins continued by stating, “Just obviously understandably difficult to establish a connection when you’re seeing what’s happening with the wind and the rain. And obviously the deteriorating conditions by the minute.”

After regaining its strength to be a Category 5, Hurricane Milton made landfall in the evening hours on Wednesday, Oct. 9 as a Category 3 near Siesta Key, Florida. The storm brought a life-threatening surge, extremely high winds, and flash flooding. Before the storm hit, tornadoes were reported throughout the state of Florida.