Multiple deaths reported in St. Lucie County as tornadoes destroy Florida’s Treasure Coast
Stream FOX 35 News
FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Multiple people have been killed as several tornadoes swept through Florida's St. Lucie County on Wednesday, the sheriff's office said, as the outer bands of Hurricane Milton roared inland hours ahead of its eventual landfall as a Category 3 storm.
Sheriff Keith Pearson said search and rescue crews were searching for victims in Spanish Lakes Country Club in Fort Pierce, where a significant tornado moved through.
"They didn’t stand a chance," stated Pearson. "Everything in (the tornado's) path is just devastated. Our deputies are out there even while the storm Milton is approaching with National Guardsmen, with search and rescue teams going through the rubble."
The sheriff said he did not have specific numbers as to the number of people trapped and needing rescue, but said hundreds of homes were either damaged or destroyed throughout the county.
"We’ve got about 300 members of law enforcement and volunteers out there sifting through these residences on the rescue mission to see if we can get anybody else out of there," said Pearson.
Pearson wasn't immune from tornado damage either, as part of the department’s facility was damaged. But no deputies were injured when significant tornadoes moved through.
Video taken from outside the headquarters showed a collapsed roof lying on squad cars, which appeared to be damaged.
MORE HURRICANE MILTON COVERAGE:
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- Tornado rips through Cocoa Beach neighborhood
- Video: Tropicana Field roof ripped off by Hurricane Milton
Pearson said the structure was 10,000 square feet and was expected to survive impacts from a hurricane.
National Weather Service offices in Tampa, Miami, Melbourne and Key West issued more than 120 Tornado Warnings during Milton, setting records.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he was aware of 19 confirmed tornadoes, but that number was expected to rise as meteorologists start to survey damage after the hurricane clears the state.
More than 3 million power outages were reported in Florida due to Milton, according to PowerOutage.us.