Climate
Storms and tornadoes destroy homes in southwest Florida
A tornado hit Fort Myers, damaging multiple homes and injuring at least four people
January 17, 2022 9:30am
Updated: January 17, 2022 12:53pm
A tornado hit the southwest Florida city of Fort Myers, located in Lee County, causing damage to more than 20 homes and injuring at least four people.
Around 7,000 homes, totaling about 15,000 people, were left without power after several storms passed through on Sunday, said County officials.
The Red Cross said it is working in collaboration with emergency responders in Fort Myers to assist those in need. The organization is also helping to find shelter for the more than 150 people who are displaced due to the storm.
More destruction today from the Tropicana community in the Iona section of Fort Myers.
— Pat Cavlin (@pcavlin) January 16, 2022
Remarkably, no serious injuries have been reported so far.@NWSTampaBay @NBC2 #Weather #Florida #Tornado pic.twitter.com/UloVrSSECU
On Sunday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported at least one tornado in Collier County. Hours later, they confirmed that the EF2 tornado had winds of 118 mph. The tornado was recorded between 7:35 a.m. and 7:40 a.m.
Tornado passed over Interstate 75 in the area of the 96 mile marker (🐊 Alley) in Collier County at 9:34am.
— FHP SWFL (@FHPSWFL) January 16, 2022
Please continue to monitor weather conditions and BE SAFE! pic.twitter.com/bxNqzKbkOE
The tornadoes were part of a dangerous winter storm that hit the southeastern United States on Sunday.
The NWS issued a warning for Miami-Dade and Broward counties, urging residents to take precautions.
Other states that were affected by the storm and were left without power include Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Meanwhile, more than an inch of snow fell in the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia.
