More than a dozen powerful tornadoes related to Hurricane Milton ripped through parts of Florida on Wednesday, killing multiple people, authorities said.
Milton was found dead Wednesday night before a twister in the storm's outer band hit the St. Lucie County senior community, making landfall.
According to reports, Sheriff Keith Pearson said “multiple fatalities” were reported at Spanish Lakes Country Club in Fort Pierce.
It is unclear how many people were killed and how many were injured.
pearson told WPTV Deputies went door to door during a multi-agency rescue effort and were “listening for the rest of their lives.”
“Our primary goal is the safety of human life,” he added. “We want to reach out to anyone who may be trapped under the rubble or trapped in these conditions and get them safely out.”
Pearson told Fox Weather that 17 tornadoes hit the county, destroying hundreds of homes.
Earlier in the day, he posted a video to the sheriff's office. facebook page It showed the Sheriff's Department steel warehouse building destroyed by the tornado as the sheriff implored residents to stay indoors.
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“It was completely gone in a matter of seconds,” he said.
No deputies were injured in the 10,000-square-foot building collapse.
A tornado that tore down power lines was also seen in Palm Beach County, about an hour south, according to the report. Video posted on social media.
It was a scene straight out of a movie, with cars fleeing the twister as lights (perhaps blown transformers) flashed in the background of Wellington village.
First responders rushed five people to hospitals, including three to trauma centers across the county, as they responded to multiple reports of tornadoes in the area. The Palm Beach Post reported.
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Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said strong wind gusts left people trapped under debris or trapped in overturned cars.
One resident told the newspaper that the tornado tore out six windows, damaged the roof and toppled a nearby palm tree.
“I've never seen anything like this,” Marie Cook said.
Hurricane Milton, once a Category 5 storm, made landfall on Florida's west coast Wednesday night.
The storm, which weakened to a major storm after making landfall, brought winds of more than 100 miles per hour, heavy rain, life-threatening storm surge and knocked out power to about 2 million customers.
In the days leading up to Milton, authorities warned residents that trying to ride out the storm could result in evacuation or death.
