More than a dozen tornadoes were reported in the outer rainbands of Hurricane Milton across Florida
FORT PIERCE, Fla. – Multiple people have been killed as several tornadoes swept through Florida’s St. Lucie County on Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said, as the outer bands of Hurricane Milton roared inland hours ahead of its eventual landfall as a Category 3 storm.
Sheriff Keith Pearson said search and rescue crews were searching for victims in Spanish Lakes Country Club in Fort Pierce where a significant tornado moved through.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said his agency was in search and rescue mode following tornadoes across the county on Wednesday.
“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.
“We’ve got about 300 members of law enforcement and volunteers out there sifting through these residences on the rescue mission to see if we can get anybody else out of there,” said Pearson.
Tornado Warnings across Florida during Milton
HURRICANE MILTON SPAWNS DEADLY TORNADO OUTBREAK IN SOUTH FLORIDA
Pearson wasn’t immune from tornado damage either, as part of the department’s facility was damaged. But no deputies were injured when significant tornadoes moved through.
Video taken from outside the headquarters showed a collapsed roof lying on squad cars, which appeared to be damaged.
Pearson said the structure was 10,000 square feet and was expected to survive impacts from a hurricane.
Hurricane Milton landfall stats
(FOX Weather)
National Weather Service offices in Tampa, Miami, Melbourne and Key West issued more than 140 Tornado Warnings during Milton, setting records.
Governor Ron DeSantis said he was aware of 19 confirmed tornadoes, but that number was expected to rise as meteorologists start to survey damage after the hurricane clears the state.
Nearly 2 million power outages were reported in Florida due to the Milton, according to PowerOutage.us, with Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties being the hardest hit.