Footage captures tornadoes hitting Florida’s east coast as Hurricane Milton begins to make landfall. More than a dozen tornadoes linked to the hurricane swept across Florida on Wednesday, according to authorities.
In Fort Pierce’s Spanish Lakes Country Club, multiple fatalities have been confirmed, with at least four people dead as a result of the tornadoes. St. Lucie County emergency services released a statement, saying: “First responders and public works/utility crews are conducting response and recovery efforts from two confirmed tornadoes that touched down before Hurricane Milton’s arrival. The St. Lucie Medical Examiner has confirmed four fatalities due to these tornadoes.”
Speaking to WPTV, St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson explained that deputies are engaged in a multi-agency rescue mission, going door to door and “listening for life.” He emphasized, “Our No. 1 goal is life safety. We want to get to anyone who may be trapped under rubble or caught in these situations and get them out safely.” Earlier, Pearson had posted a video on the department’s Facebook page showing a tornado destroying a steel storage building, commenting: “Completely gone in a matter of seconds.”
Another tornado was reported in Palm Beach County, with social media footage showing it ripping through power cables. Videos show cars fleeing from massive twisters descending from the sky, with a bright flash—likely from an electrical transformer—visible in the background.
Evacuations are underway across much of Florida, as residents are urged to leave coastal areas amid warnings of storm surges up to 15 feet. Over three million homes and businesses have already lost power.
Orlando resident Brendan McCoy told the BBC that he, his girlfriend Juli, and their pets have taken shelter, waiting for power restoration. “They can’t send out crews to start working on the grid until the wind dies down. We’re waiting for the sun to come up to see what it looks like outside,” he said.
Although Tampa has been spared the predicted storm surge, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has warned of potential flooding in the coming days.
watch the video below