At least 6 dead in St. Lucie County as Milton spawns tornadoes destroying homes on Florida’s Treasure Coast
St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said the victims were in Spanish Lakes Country Club Village in northern Fort Pierce, where a significant tornado moved through on Wednesday. Overall, there were more than 120 Tornado Warnings during Milton, the NWS said.
Hurricane Milton leaves at least 4 dead in St. Lucie County, Florida
A tornado outbreak spawned by Hurricane Milton is being blamed for the deaths of at least four people in St. Lucie County, Florida. St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said the victims were in Spanish Lakes Country Club Village in northern Fort Pierce, where a significant tornado moved through on Wednesday.
FORT PIERCE, Fla. – At least six people were killed when several tornadoes swept through Florida's St. Lucie County on Wednesday as the outer bands of Hurricane Milton roared inland hours ahead of its eventual landfall as a Category 3 storm, the St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center has confirmed to FOX Weather.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said the victims were in Spanish Lakes Country Club Village in northern Fort Pierce, where a significant tornado moved through on Wednesday.
Tornado destroys building outside St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office
More than a dozen tornadoes were reported in the outer rainbands of Hurricane Milton across Florida
"The most impacted area is about a half-square-mile community made up of older modular homes that the tornado went through and just completely devastated it," Pearson said.
According to Pearson, the twister lifted up vehicles and flipped them upside down and also lifted modular homes off their foundations.
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Image 1 of 8PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 10: The inside of a mini mart of a local gas station is left damaged by a tornado caused by Hurricane Milton, on October 10, 2024 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 2 of 8PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 10: Road ways left damaged by a tornado caused by Hurricane Milton, on October 10, 2024 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 3 of 8PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 10: A McDonald's sign damaged by a tornado caused by Hurricane Milton, on October 10, 2024 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 4 of 8PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 10: Homes damaged by a tornado caused by Hurricane Milton, on October 10, 2024 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 5 of 8PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 10: The inside of a mini mart of a local gas station is left damaged by a tornado caused by Hurricane Milton, on October 10, 2024 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 6 of 8PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 10: Lakewood Park Church is left damaged by a tornado caused by Hurricane Milton, on October 10, 2024 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 7 of 8PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 10: The inside of a mini mart of a local gas station is left damaged by a tornado caused by Hurricane Milton, on October 10, 2024 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 8 of 8PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 10: Road ways left damaged by a tornado caused by Hurricane Milton, on October 10, 2024 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) ( )
"They don't even look like homes anymore," Pearson said. "They're mangled there. There's people trapped underneath them."
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.
"So we're actively rescuing. We have over 200 people out here doing this – specialized units and law enforcement and fire rescue," Pearson said. "So we're doing everything we possibly can. We have all the support that we need."
Tornado Warnings across Florida during Milton
HURRICANE MILTON SPAWNS DEADLY TORNADO OUTBREAK IN SOUTH FLORIDA, ‘HUNDREDS OF HOMES’ DESTROYED
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.
Pearson said the structure was 10,000 square feet and was expected to survive impacts from a hurricane.
Hurricane Milton landfall stats
(FOX Weather)
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.