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Deaths were reported and many homes were damaged in Lakewood Park.

Posted on by Kennedy
Deaths were reported and many homes were damaged in Lakewood Park.

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Update: Four died after tornadoes struck St. Lucie County on Wednesday.

Suspected tornadoes damaged “dozens” of homes in Indian River Estates and Lakewood Park Wednesday afternoon, forcing evacuation efforts from Hurricane Milton's tropical winds. There was also an unconfirmed death toll related to the Lakewood Park storm, according to law enforcement officials.

St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson told WPBF-TV that there have been deaths at Spanish Lakes Country Club Village, although he wasn't sure how many.

“We’re walking through the rubble,” Pearson said. “…It's devastating. There are no words to describe it.”

Erick Gill, a spokesman for St. Lucie County government, said search and rescue teams were trying to reach people displaced by the afternoon storms and get them to shelters before severe winds associated with Hurricane Milton hit the Treasure Coast.

Those involved in the rescue effort included first responders from St. Lucie and neighboring counties, as well as the Florida National Guard.

Gill said they struggled to stay one step ahead of the weather. Hurricane Milton made landfall off the West Coast near Siesta Key shortly after 8 p.m. as a Category 3 hurricane and is expected to exit the state as a Category 1 hurricane at Cocoa Beach by 10 a.m. Thursday.

“We know there are dozens of houses,” Gill said. “Our goal is to get in there and get these people out before the tropical winds hit our area.”

Gill said rescue efforts would continue as long as weather permitted.

He said efforts were complicated by residents leaving their homes to survey the damage. He urged everyone to stay in their homes until the hurricane moves out to sea.

“At some point crews will no longer be able to get there because of the wind,” Gill said.

Estimates of property damage were not available.

Follow TCPalm's live blog about the storm on Wednesday.

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