Hurricane Milton: Puppy rescued from rubble left behind by storm after owners go unaccounted for

FT. PIERCE, Fla. - Amid the devastation left by Hurricane Milton, a puppy named Benji was rescued Thursday morning from the rubble of what was once a home in a Florida mobile home retirement community. His owners are among those unaccounted for.

A resident found Benji at the Spanish Lakes Country Club Village retirement community in Ft. Pierce. WFOR reporter Morgan Rynor was on the scene during the rescue.

"He got Benji. He got Benji. Oh my goodness," Rynor exclaimed upon seeing the dog in a neighbor’s arms. The dog appeared to be injured, Rynor said.

Benji had gone missing Wednesday night after tornadoes ravaged the community. Residents who rode out the storm reported that the tornadoes had shattered some homes into pieces.

READ MORE: Video: Florida traffic camera captured tornado as Hurricane Milton impacts state

Sheriff Keith Pearson told FOX News that emergency crews were conducting door-to-door search and rescue operations throughout the remains of the retirement community on Thursday morning. 

"They didn’t stand a chance," stated Pearson. "Everything in (the tornado's) path is just devastated. Our deputies are out there even while the storm Milton is approaching with National Guardsmen, with search and rescue teams going through the rubble."

The sheriff said he did not have specific numbers as to the number of people trapped and needing rescue but said hundreds of homes were either damaged or destroyed throughout the county. Four people were killed.

National Weather Service offices in Tampa, Miami, Melbourne and Key West issued more than 120 Tornado Warnings during Milton, FOX News reported.