As Hurricane Milton moved through Florida, a series of powerful tornadoes struck the east coast, causing multiple fatalities and widespread destruction, especially in Saint Lucie County. Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed the tragic loss of life and ongoing search and rescue operations in the Spanish Lakes Country Club community, according to Local 10.
Amid the chaos, videos showed tornadoes touching down, with cars struggling against the storm. In Wellington, the damage was evident: palm trees were snapped, homes destroyed, and a car was overturned in a tree. Residents were shaken, but some, like Pauline Cornish, expressed gratitude for surviving. She said in an interview with Local 10, "I go back to saying I’m alive, so I’m thankful."
In a disaster that affected everyone, the St. Lucie Sheriff’s Office estate was not spared, with a 10,000 square foot steel structure collapsing. Sheriff Keith Pearson shared the severity of the damage in a video on social media. Accounts from those who experienced the tornadoes firsthand describe terrifying minutes of destruction, as reported by WSVN.
Martin County has set a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in response to tornado damage. Many residents, like Alex Enck, returned home to find their houses in ruins. Wayne Sweitzer recalled the terror of the tornado that hit his longtime home, saying, "All of a sudden we heard that train sound. And I jumped up, my wife jumped up, we ran, and the kids ran into the living room," he told WSVN.
