Florida Tornadoes Wreak Havoc on Both Coasts; Destroy Cars, Businesses, Homes

Florida experienced severe weather on Thursday, resulting in damage to homes, cars, and businesses, with at least one tornado making its impact felt, per CNN.

The Clearwater Beach area bore the brunt of the severe weather, where an apparent tornado wreaked havoc on at least two homes after making landfall early Thursday morning.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported, according to Clearwater police. However, images from the scene revealed streets strewn with debris and a home's gutter piercing a car's windshield.

In a particularly fortunate turn of events, a 90-year-old woman who was asleep in her home when the storm struck remained unharmed despite a wall and the home's roof collapsing on her.

Clearwater police and fire officials shared that she had awakened to the sound of shattering glass and wisely took cover under her bedcovers as the storm raged on.

The damage extended to the nearby Dunedin coastal area, located north of Clearwater Beach, where officials from the town reported downed power lines and substantial structural damage.

Social media posts from the city depicted buildings missing walls and roofs and business windows shattered.

To assess the extent of the damage and confirm its tornado origin, the National Weather Service will conduct a survey in the affected areas.

Another separate potential tornado event was reported approximately 65 miles north in Crystal River. Crystal River Mayor Joe Meek conveyed that this tornado caused damage to a significant number of businesses and homes within the city.

Despite the extensive destruction, there were no major injuries or reports of fatalities, which Meek deemed remarkable given the condition of many affected residences.

No Active Alerts From NWS, Palm Coast Residents Say

Residents of a Palm Coast community are expressing deep concern after discovering that no active tornado warning was issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) when an EF-2 tornado tore through their neighborhood, per FOX 35.

The aftermath of the early morning tornado primarily affected the Indian Trails neighborhood, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Startled residents in the area shared their feelings of being caught off guard by the sudden and violent storm.

Jackie Buck recounted her experience to FOX 35's Hannah Mackenzie, describing how she heard the approaching tornado but received no official warning.

She recounted, "I'm like, 'oh my god, it sounds like a tornado!' So, I jumped up... and as I jumped up to go to my room to seek shelter, the lights went out, and things were just coming."

For Buck, this was not her first encounter with a tornado. She noted that a similar situation occurred five years ago in the same neighborhood, stating, "It was three houses from me... with an oak tree coming down then, and then it went over to the other areas, and a lot of damage was over there."

Schools Remain Safe Following Florida Tornadoes Barrage

In the aftermath of the Florida tornadoes that ravaged the west side of Citrus County and Crystal River overnight on Wednesday, Citrus County Schools have emerged largely unscathed, Citrus County Chronicle noted.

Lindsay Blair, the district's spokeswoman, confirmed on Thursday afternoon that there was no structural damage to any school buildings, save for the need to clear debris from surrounding businesses.

The sole educational institution directly impacted by the storm was Crystal River Primary School, which lost power.

As of Thursday evening, Duke Energy successfully restored power to the school, granting the green light for it to reopen.

For parents and students, it's business as usual on Friday, October 13, as all schools will be open. After-school programs and extra-curricular activities will also proceed according to their regular schedules.

In a statement, Blair noted, "If your student is unable to attend school on Friday, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's school with any questions or concerns. We know this is a difficult time for many of our families. Please join us in keeping those impacted by the storm and the entire Crystal River community in your thoughts and prayers."

To stay informed about any further updates, parents and students are encouraged to monitor the school district's Facebook page and messages from Lindsay Blair.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: 'I Couldn't Believe What I Saw': Woman Records Clearwater, Florida Tornado As It Comes Ashore - From FOX Weather