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By Flynn Nicholls
US News Reporter
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CNN host Anderson Cooper has been hit by flying debris while reporting on Hurricane Milton.
The veteran broadcaster was speaking into the microphone in pouring rain and strong winds during the Category 3 hurricane in Bradenton, Florida, Wednesday evening. Watch the moment in the video above.
"At the water now, and it's really starting to pour over, woah, OK," he said, ducking away as a piece of Styrofoam blew into his torso at 9.04 p.m. ET, about 30 minutes after Milton made landfall approximately 20 miles south at Siesta Key.
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A few minutes later, he said "there is so much rain and wind," gesturing at the weather, while large pieces of debris and plants can be seen streaking across the screen behind him.
The 57-year-old continued broadcasting for several hours. Newsweek has contacted CNN's communications team via email Thursday to ask about his condition.
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Milton, which twice reached Category 5 status while drawing energy from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph when it made landfall, according to the National Hurricane Center.
It brought a dangerous surge to densely populated areas along Florida's Gulf Coast, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
Some viewers took to social media to question why he was outside in the storm.
User @Hannahcrouchh wrote on X: "What does putting Anderson Cooper on a pier in the middle of the ocean at the height of a hurricane in its center achieve in informing viewers. It's like 120mph winds. Get my sweet porcelain glass anchor inside."
Another user, @lb2bj wrote on X: "Can someone get Anderson Cooper away from that railing before he's washed away?"
And user @benharlum pointed out the disparity between the network broadcasting safety information and Cooper's situation, posting: "'It's important for everyone to stay inside' the FEMA rep tells CNN while Anderson Cooper is fighting for his life in Florida in the split screen."
But another user, @KejanHaynes, said Cooper was "in his element. Just wait til tomorrow when he whips out that black, short sleeve t shirt."
Cooper has a history of reporting in dangerous situations. In 2012, Cooper ducked in Gaza City when a bomb exploded very close to where he was live on air.
"Woah! That was a rather large explosion," Cooper said, smiling at the camera. "I can't actually see where the impact of that was, but it's set off a number of car alarms."
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