'Multiple fatalities' in St. Lucie County after tornado outbreak, sheriff says

ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — The St. Lucie County sheriff confirmed there are “multiple fatalities” following a devastating tornado outbreak Wednesday.

Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed multiple people were killed at the Spanish Lakes Country Club, a senior community off Spanish Lakes Boulevard near Fort Pierce. It’s unclear how many people have died or how many others have been hurt.

WATCH: Tornado damage in Spanish Lakes Country Club

Tornado damage in Spanish Lakes Country Club

Pearson said they are checking every house to help those affected as search and rescue operations are underway.

“They are listening for life,” Pearson said regarding what deputies are doing as they visit homes in the neighborhood. “This is a weather event like none other.”

The sheriff told WPTV News anchor Meghan McRoberts that somewhere between “6 and 12” tornadoes touched down in the county.

Dozens of agencies, including officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, responded to the community.

“Our number one goal is life safety,” Pearson said. “We want to get to anybody who might be trapped underneath the rubble or trapped in these situations and get them out safely.”

The sheriff said there were “well over 100 homes” throughout the county that have been lost due to the severe weather outbreak.

Officials said the state has sent about 100 search and rescue members to the county to assist local agencies.

WATCH: ‘Dozens of homes’ damaged, St. Lucie County spokesman says

Search and rescue operations underway in St. Lucie County after tornadoes

“We have dozens of homes in St. Lucie County that have been damaged. Some catastrophic damage,” St. Lucie County spokesman Erick Gill said. “We are working with the St. Lucie County Fire District, the National Guard, as well as units from the sheriff’s office and even first responders from surrounding counties to help with search and rescue.”

Gill said their goal was to get into the communities where multiple tornadoes have touched down to help survivors and do damage assessment.

“We have three shelters that were already open, but we’re looking at converting another school to a fourth shelter to take care of those who may have been displaced by the tornadoes that ripped through our area this afternoon,” Gill said.

John Marfisi

Multiple tornadoes touched down across the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County on Wednesday as Hurricane Milton closed in on the state. Gov. Ron DeSantis said there were at least 116 tornado warnings with 19 confirmed touchdowns.

National Weather Service offices in Miami, Melbourne, and Tampa issued 98 tornado warnings on Wednesday afternoon, with the office in Miami issuing a record 55 of those warnings.

Kevin Guthrie, the director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, said they have multiple task forces headed to the affected areas. Guthrie said about 125 homes were destroyed statewide, mostly mobile homes in senior communities.

Milton made landfall in Florida near Siesta Key just after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, but its wrath was felt across the Sunshine State for much of the day.