ST Lucie County, Fla. – The St. Lucie County Sheriff confirmed there are “multiple fatalities” following Wednesday’s devastating tornado outbreak.
Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed that several people were killed at Spanish Lakes Country Club, a senior community on Spanish Lakes Boulevard near Fort Pierce. It was unclear how many people were killed or injured.
WATCH: Tornado damage at Spanish Lakes Country Club
Tornado damage at Spanish Lakes Country Club
Pearson said they are checking every house to help victims as search and rescue operations continue.
“They’ve been listening for a lifetime,” Pearson said of what deputies do when they visit neighborhood homes. “It’s a weather event like no other.”
The sheriff told WPTV news anchor Megan McRoberts that the tornado touched down in the county “somewhere between 6 and 12.”
John Marfizzi
Dozens of agencies responded to the community, including officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Our number one goal is life safety,” Pearson said. “We would like to reach out to anyone who may be trapped under the rubble or in similar situations and get them out safely.”
The sheriff said “over 100 homes” were lost across the county due to the severe weather outbreak.
Officials said the state has sent about 100 search and rescue members to the county to assist local agencies.
WATCH: ‘Dozens of homes’ damaged, St. Lucie County spokesman says
Search and rescue operations are underway after the hurricane in St. Lucie County
“Dozens of homes were damaged in St. Lucie County. Some catastrophic damage,” St. Lucie County spokesman Eric Gill said. “We are working with units from the St. Lucie County Fire District, the National Guard and the Sheriff’s Office, as well as first responders from surrounding counties to assist in the search and rescue.”
Gill said their goal is to go into communities touched by multiple hurricanes to help survivors and assess damage.
“We have three shelters already open, but we’re looking at turning another school into a fourth shelter to take care of those displaced by the tornado that hit our area this afternoon,” Gill said.
John Marfizzi
Several tornadoes touched down across the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County Hurricane Milton shut down the state on Wednesday. Gov. Ron DeSantis said there were at least 116 tornado warnings with 19 confirmed touchdowns.
National Weather Service offices in Miami, Melbourne and Tampa issued 98 tornado warnings as of Wednesday afternoon, while the office in Miami issued 55 warnings.
Kevin Guthrie, director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, said they have several task forces out to affected areas. Guthrie said about 125 homes were destroyed across the state, mostly mobile homes from senior communities.
Milton caused a landslide Just after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near Siesta Key, Florida, but its fury was felt throughout the Sunshine State throughout the day.
