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CNN anchor Anderson Cooper was hit in the face by debris while outside reporting on Hurricane Milton in Florida as the massive storm makes landfall.

The hurricane arrived in the state early Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, bringing devastating tornadoes, 28-foot waves, strong winds, heavy rain and storm surge across multiple areas.

The National Weather Service generated 111 tornado warnings at 9.30pm UK time, breaking a record set in 2017.

With winds exceeding 150 mph, Cooper was sent to Bradenton, Florida, on Wednesday evening to report on the carnage unfolding in the Sunshine State.

“The water is really starting to overflow now,” an already soaked Cooper said as he spoke to the camera on a walkway along the Manatee River.

Things didn’t get much better for the 57-year-old news veteran when seconds later the elements threw a white object straight into his face, momentarily stunning him.

“Well, that wasn’t good,” he said. “We’ll probably go in soon.”

Things weren’t much better for Cooper’s colleague Bill Weir in St. Petersburg, who was literally wiped off the screen during his report.

While sending reporters into dangerous storms is not uncommon in the American media, viewers couldn’t help but worry about Cooper.

On It’s like a wind speed of 190 km/hour. Get my sweet porcelain glass anchor in.

Another said: “’It’s important for everyone to stay indoors,’ FEMA representative tells CNN as Anderson Cooper fights for his life in Florida on split screen.”

A third added: “You know it’s serious when they send Anderson Cooper into the eye of the storm. I thought he should have a clause in his contract that he doesn’t do this again.”

A fourth joked: “I like that CNN sees no problem with putting Anderson Cooper in the middle of Hurricane Milton, but somehow draws the line at having him drinking on New Year’s Eve.”

The CNN host wasn’t the only reporter who put himself in danger Wednesday night.

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Fox Weather correspondent Robert Ray felt the full force of Hurricane Milton shortly before the storm made landfall. “We just had a whole tree break and land on our vehicles,” Ray told Fox Weather.

The reporter had just finished a live report from the Manatee River before getting into his car and checking his phone.

“And then, suddenly, boom!” Ray recalled. “The whole tree just comes down and goes partially into the vehicle where (cameraman) Lloyd is.”

“Definitely a hurricane gust to take down a tree like that,” he added.

After the tree fell, Ray said there was a “little chaotic moment” when he asked if he was okay and he “couldn’t hear a damn thing” because of the howling wind.