PANAMA CITY(TIP): At least six people were killed by the most powerful storm to hit the Florida Panhandle in recorded history. Officials warned Thursday, October 11, that the number was likely to rise as search crews struggled to gain access to ravaged areas and sift through the piles of debris.

Utility companies said more than 1.3 million customers remained without power from Florida to Virginia on Thursday evening as Michael — still a tropical storm more than a day after landfall — remained dangerous, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.

Michael made landfall in Mexico Beach, Florida, on Wednesday just shy of Category 5 hurricane strength, with winds gusting at 155 mph. While the storm weakened through the night as it passed over Georgia, it still proved deadly.

“Unfortunately, in these types of things as we go through and sift through damage, ultimately those who didn’t heed warnings, particularly around the Mexico Beach area — we typically see deaths climb, unfortunately,” Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said on CBS on Thursday.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday morning: “This hurricane was an absolute monster. And the damage left in its wake is still yet to be fully understood.”