Police in St. Lucie County have confirmed “multiple fatalities” have been reported after a tornado tore through the area earlier today.
Sheriff Keith Pearson announced that several individuals lost their lives at the Spanish Lakes Country Club, a community predominantly inhabited by seniors. The exact death toll remains uncertain at this time as Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida’s coast.
Pearson emphasized that comprehensive checks of each residence are being conducted to assist those impacted as search and rescue efforts continue in full force. Many agencies, including Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, have converged on the scene to offer support, reports the Mirror US.
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The tornado earlier today over St. Lucie County (
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The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s building was taken down by a tornado ahead of Hurricane Milton (
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St. Lucie County spokesman Erick Gill said: “We have dozens of homes in St. Lucie County that have been damaged, some catastrophic damage. We are working with the St. Lucie County Fire District … National Guard, as well as units from the sheriff’s office and even first responders from surrounding counties to help with search and rescue.”
About 125 homes were destroyed state-wide, according to officials.
Southern Florida was hit by severe weather conditions on Wednesday morning, with heavy rain and tornadoes causing havoc. The forecast predicted rainfall between six and 12 inches (15 to 31 centimetre’s), and up to 18 inches (46 centimetres) in some areas further inland, leading to fears of catastrophic flooding.
A tornado made landfall on Wednesday morning in the scarcely populated Everglades, crossing Interstate 75. Another suspected tornado struck Fort Myers, causing damage to trees and ripping apart a gas station’s canopy. The agency has announced that the tornado watch will stay in effect until 9pm.ET on Wednesday, covering parts of south Florida, including Miami, Key Largo, Tampa, Port St. Lucie, Jupiter Farms, Sebring, Sebastian, Sarasota, North Port, Cape Coral, and Bonita Springs.
Kevin Guthrie, who heads Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, confirmed they have multiple task forces en route to the affected regions.