5,000-mile-wide blob of sargassum seaweed washes up in Florida Keys
The sargassum bloom, at around 5,000 miles wide, is twice the width of the United States and is believed to be the largest in history. (Credit: SCV/Brian Dombrowski)
A Tornado swept through a small community off the coast of Florida Sunday, destroying dozens of homes, the National Weather Service confirmed.
The EF-0 Tornado touched down in Brevard County and traveled around 500 feet, damaging around 30 homes.
A Florida residents surveys the wreckage after a tornado swept through his community. (FOX 35)
NWS estimates the tornado had sustained winds between 60 and 70 mph, and was approximately 300 to 400 feet wide when it ripped through Micco, Florida, which has a population of more than 8,000, and is about 50 miles southeast of Orlando.
The tornado damaged carports, porches, front awnings and caused partial roof loss on some homes, FOX 35 reported.
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"All I heard was metal just tearing and ripping," one resident told FOX 35, recalling the chaos. "Been through countless hurricanes … never, ever in my life, seen anything that quick, that fast, with the much destruction."
Separately, a boater in Brevard County died Sunday after being struck by lightning.
Tornado warnings remained in effect for many coastal areas of Florida, including Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, and North Palm Beach.
The tornado came after a week of torrential downpours that walloped parts of the Sunshine State. On Wednesday, the Fort Lauderdale area saw record amounts in a matter of hours, ranging from 15 to 26 inches.
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Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport shut down Wednesday evening as the storm dumped more than 2 feet of rain.
Airlines were forced to cancel more than 650 flights at the airport the following day, according to FlightAware.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
