The entire Treasure Coast is under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service. Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River are among the 33 Florida counties included in the watch, which spans the full width of the state from as far north as St. Johns County. Martin is the southernmost county named in the advisory. The Associated Press has the story:
Tornado flips cars, damages homes in Florida
Newslooks- PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP)
A tornado touched down in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida as a powerful storm system brought intense rain and powerful winds to the state, overturning cars, damaging homes and snapping tree branches.
The National Weather Service in Miami said the tornado hit late Saturday afternoon with winds of 100 mph (160 kph) near Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center and headed northeast toward the coast.
Storm damage forced authorities in the coastal city to close major roadways in the city as workers cleared debris and inspected wreckage. Images from the scene showed cars flipped over on top of each other, cracked tree limbs resting on vehicles and homes, as well as other debris littering streets.
The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department has not reported any major injuries or fatalities. A spokeswoman for the city said officials have deactivated emergency protocols and were working through lingering issues Sunday.
The National Weather Service had placed a large stretch of central Florida under a tornado watch on Saturday afternoon as thunderstorms were cutting across the state.
