Video shows cars piled up after tornado hits Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
A video has emerged showing cars piled on top of each other after a tornado with estimated peak wind speeds of 130 mph ripped through South Florida.
Footage taken in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Palm Beach Gardens Saturday depicted a car overturned with another propped up against it.
“Oh my God. Look at this thing,” a person could be heard saying as locals were wandering around the area to survey the damage.
The city of Palm Beach Gardens said there were reports of “roof damage, minor structural damage to buildings, a lot of trees down and a lot vehicle damage” in the wake of the EF-2 tornado.
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“Fire Rescue states that no injuries were reported in our jurisdiction as a result of the storm, but they did assist with transports in nearby areas,” the city added, noting that “multiple roadways were blocked with debris and downed trees.”
More than 11 million Florida residents had been placed under a tornado watch that covered most of the Florida Peninsula Saturday, according to FOX Weather.
Another video taken of the tornado showed a car being lifted off the ground and thrown through the air while it was in the middle of a street.
Palm Beach Gardens said it has activated its “Emergency Operations Center with personnel from Police, Fire and Public Works to address cleanup.”
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“A cell merger that began between the turnpike and Interstate 95 in Palm Beach Gardens was able to take advantage of a favorable environment for tornadoes and spawn an EF-2 tornado,” the National Weather Service (NWS) had said in a report.
“The tornado began just east of Interstate 95 and moved northeast across A1A, passing just south of the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center,” it continued. “As it moved through the Sanctuary Cove Community it turned more north-northeasterly crossing PGA Blvd near the intersection with U.S. 1.
“After a short trek up U.S. 1, the tornado dissipated before reaching Juno Beach,” the NWS statement concluded.
The NWS also said that the tornado destroyed a dry-cleaning business, collapsed light poles and caused an electrical concrete pole to lean over.
The tornado lasted 11 minutes and traveled nearly 3 miles before it dissipated, the NWS added.
“The City Engineer and Building official continue to do structural damage assessments,” the City of Palm Beach Gardens said.