Severe Storms Kill At Least 14 In Florida
Severe thunderstorms tore through central Florida early Friday, destroying mobile homes and a church, lifting a tractor-trailer into the air and killing at least 14 people, authorities said.
Eleven deaths were reported in Paisley and three in Lady Lake, both towns in Lake County. More than 500 structures have been destroyed or damaged.
Officials were still looking for more victims, and tornado warnings remained in effect.
Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency for Lake, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties.
"Our priority today is search and rescue," Crist told reporters in Tallahassee at the state Emergency Operations Center. He said he was in contact with the White House about the storm.
There is 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 spokeswoman Christie Mysinger told CBS radio affiliate WKMG-AM.
Mysinger confirmed that a tornado hit the Lady Lake area. Two shelters have been opened, and a third was planned. Florida's Blood Centers (FBC) issued an appeal for donations.
The Lady Lake Church of God was demolished, its pews, altar and Bibles left in a jumbled mess. The 31-year-old, steel-reinforced structure was built to withstand 150-mph winds, the Rev. Larry Lynn said.
In Volusia County, another 69 homes were damaged and one injury was reported, officials said. A county medical clinic in DeLand was severely damaged, officials said.
"We're in the process of getting our arms around the damage," county spokesman Dave Byron said.
"The whole front of the state building is demolished," state employee "Brandon" told WKMG-AM. "The state cars, you can tell, it's picked 'em up and slung 'em around like they were toys. There's nothing left."
In The Villages retirement community, Lee Shaver said he shielded his wife Irene with his body while huddling in a closet as the roof peeled off their home. Fence posts launched as projectiles were embedded into the wall of their home, Irene Shaver said.
"Every muscle and bone in my body shook," said Lee Shaver, 54. "We don't know what to do. We have no cell phones, wallets, IDs."
At least five crashes took place within a quarter mile of each other near Interstate 4's New Smyrna Beach exit, closing the highway for about three hours.
Katie Couric will anchor the CBS EVENING NEWS (6:30-7:00 PM, ET) from the Orlando area tonight, covering the devastating storms that hit Friday morning. CBS News correspondents Byron Pitts and Sharyn Alfonsi will also cover the story on location.
The most serious was a semi-trailer that was lifted up and landed on another semi, pinning the driver in his cab, said Kim Miller, a spokeswoman with the Florida Highway Patrol. The driver did not suffer life-threatening injuries, she said.
About 20,000 customers were without power across a wide swath of central Florida, Progress Energy spokeswoman Cherie Jacobs said. Florida Power & Light reported about 200 customers without power in the DeLand area.
The state Emergency Operations Center was activated, said Mike Stone, spokesman at the state's Department of Emergency Management.
By daybreak, parishioners in Lady Lake gathered on the lot where the Church of God once stood, hugging one another and consoling Lynn. They planned to clear the debris and hold Sunday services on the empty lot.
"That's just the building," Lynn said. "The people are the church. We'll be back bigger and stronger."