500 Homes In Sumter County Damaged
The Lake County Sheriff's Office confirmed Friday that two people were killed when a tornado touched down in the Lady Lake Area.
"We have severe damage in the area of the Sunshine Mobile Home Park, Oak Grove Mobile Home Park and the Lady Lake Mobile Home Park," Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christie Mysinger. "This area of Lady Lake has been hit very hard by a confirmed tornado. The city of Lady Lake is in a state of emergency as declared by its mayor. And also, the county is in a state of emergency.
Crews were going door to door to search for more possible victims in Lady Lake.
An emergency operations center was opened up in Lake County at the Classic Car Wash located U.S. 27 and 441 in Lady Lake.
A shelter was opened at the North Lake Presbyterian Church, which is located on Rolling Acres Road located behind the Home Depot store in Lady Lake.
Lake County schools remained open Friday with the exception of The Villages Elementary School, officials said.
The names of the victims were not released pending notification of their family, Mysinger said.
500 Homes Damaged
Meanwhile, reports of damage in Lake, Volusia, Seminole, Brevard and Sumter counties appeared to be more extensive than when several tornadoes touched down on Christmas Day in Central Florida.
"To give you some comparison as to what we have been seeing here, this tornado outbreak appears to be much worse than what we saw Christmas Day," Local 6 meteorologist Larry Mowry said.
Officials are reporting that at least 500 homes were damaged in the Sumter Landing Villages area in Sumter County, Fla., by a possible tornado.
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In Volusia County, several homes and businesses were destroyed and utility poles were knocked down in the DeLand area. "I live next to Robin's Radiator and his place was demolished and it is all in front of where I walk in,"Irene Martin said. "I was in my living room with my two dogs and you could see the lightning and you could hear the thunder and the rain and everything. And, it seemed all of the sudden it got very windy and it got very, very quiet and then all of the sudden bam, a big, big explosion. I didn't know what was going on."
Tens of thousands of people in Marion and Sumter counties do not have power Friday, the report said.
There are also reports of massive damage in New Smyrna Beach Friday.
Local 6's Tarik Minor reported that several people were trapped inside of their homes in New Smyrna Beach early Friday.
"We have not heard of any fatalities (in New Smyrna) but we did hear reports of a woman being thrown through her trailer as the winds blew through," Minor said.
A shelter was opened at the James Community Center in New Smyrna Beach in Volusia County at 201 North Myrtle St., according to officials.
DeLand Middle School, Southwestern Middle School and Starke Elementary School were closed Friday due to damage or inaccessible roads.
Also, The Florida Highway Patrol reported that several tractor-trailers overturned at 4:30 a.m. on Interstate 4 in Volusia County, Fla., closing the road in both directions.