At least 19 tornadoes were recorded in central and southern Florida hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday night as a category 3 hurricane, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed in a press conference.
One of the most spectacular ones was recorded in Wellington, Palm Beach.
Breathtaking images shared on social media by witnesses, journalists, the Miami weather service, and also by the Florida Highway Patrol documented several of those phenomena.
One of them appeared on I-75, which was precisely one of the highways that served as a corridor for those trying to escape from Milton.
"#Milton triggered the highest number of daily tornado warnings in Florida's history. Some were significant and caused extensive damage, including this one in Palm Beach County," wrote journalist Derek Van Dam on X.
One was also recorded in Fort Myers.
Since the morning of Wednesday, the weather service of the city of Miami (NWS) had issued a tornado alert for South Florida that would be in effect until 9:00 p.m. local time; that is, until shortly after the time Milton made landfall, which impacted around 8:30 p.m. near Siesta Key, south of Tampa.
"While we remain on the northeast side of #Milton today, the threat of some tornadoes continues. Have a way to receive alerts!" wrote the meteorological entity on X, which shared a map illustrating even the extensive area that could be at risk of tornadoes throughout the day.
Videos of the tornadoes were later joined by some terrifying scenes showing the tornadoes recorded from the inside, like one captured in Fort Myers by a surveillance camera.
No less terrifying is the state in which some towns were left after the passage of the fearsome weather phenomena.
In St. Lucie County, several police vehicles were crushed by the force of the tornado that hit the area.
According to the latest count by authorities, at least 13 people have died in Florida during Hurricane Milton's passage: five in St. Lucie County, three in Volusia, and two in Pinellas, according to local authorities.
Rescue teams continue to search for victims among the rubble, and authorities are assessing the damage left by the storm, which has caused flooding and uprooted trees, power poles, and roofs.
"The total reconstruction will take a long time. It will require several billion dollars," acknowledged President Joe Biden.
What do you think?
COMMENTArchived in:
