Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane last night on the Gulf Coast and has left a devastating mark on the Treasure Coast as it crossed the state. On Wednesday, multiple tornadoes tore through Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach, Stuart, Fort Pierce, and surrounding areas, causing extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and personal property. Unfortunately, there are also confirmed casualties. The storm’s impact has been felt across Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties, as residents brace for new challenges in the coming days.
Casualties & Damage in St. Lucie County
St. Lucie County was one of the hardest-hit areas, with multiple fatalities reported in the Spanish Lakes community, just east of Lakewood Park in Fort Pierce. These deaths are believed to be caused by tornadoes that touched down as the outer bands of Hurricane Milton moved through. The exact number of fatalities has not yet been confirmed, but local authorities, including the St. Lucie Sheriff’s Office, are conducting search-and-rescue missions in affected neighborhoods.
Damage in Spanish Lakes by Hurricane Milton.
Sheriff Keith Pearson shared a somber video from the scene of one of the hardest-hit areas, where a 10,000-square-foot steel structure that housed the Sheriff’s Office vehicle fleet was reduced to rubble. The tornado hit with such force that the building crumpled like aluminum foil. Fortunately, no deputies or administrative staff were inside at the time, but the damage occurred early enough to cause anxiety in the community about the upcoming storm.
Emergency response teams are working in the area as we speak, and the National Guard is assisting with ongoing recovery efforts.
Martin County Suffers Significant Tornado Damage
Several tornadoes also caused damage in southern Martin County. The Colonial Heights mobile home park in Stuart saw multiple homes destroyed by a tornado that left the community in ruins. Some residents described the shock of seeing their fence and porch damaged while their neighbor’s home was completely leveled.
The Port Salerno and Rocky Point neighborhoods in Stuart saw especially destructive tornados. Many residents looked out onto their yards to see insulation, drywall, and roof tiles and shingles.
Martin County officials quickly imposed a countywide curfew from 9 PM Wednesday to 6 AM Thursday to keep residents off the roads and allow emergency crews to focus on recovery efforts. Sheriff William Snyder emphasized the importance of staying indoors, describing the damage as “absolutely atrocious” and urging people to avoid the streets until the storm has fully passed.
Widespread Destruction in Fort Pierce & Vero Beach
Across the Treasure Coast, the destruction from Hurricane Milton’s tornadoes has been extensive. In Fort Pierce, the Lakewood Park and Indian River Estates neighborhoods, which dealt with flooding before the storm’s arrival, were heavily impacted.
Dozens of homes were damaged, and power lines and trees were knocked down across roads, making many areas impassable. Officials reported that about two dozen homes in the Holiday Pines neighborhood alone sustained significant damage. Crews are working around the clock to assess the situation and begin recovery operations.
The city of Vero Beach and surrounding areas also experienced destruction. A confirmed tornado touched down in Vero Beach Highlands, moving north and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. One particularly hard-hit area saw a tree uprooted and smashed into a house on State Road 60, near the Vero Beach Police Department headquarters. In addition, debris, overturned vehicles, and broken windows littered neighborhoods.
Indian River County officials reported that more than 7.7 inches of rain had fallen at the Vero Beach Regional Airport since the early morning hours, with flooding occurring in low-lying areas. Streets were inundated, and many homes had windows blown out by the high winds. Despite the damage, there have been no fatalities reported in Indian River County as of Wednesday evening.
Meanwhile, Hutchinson Island and nearby coastal communities faced widespread power outages and damage to homes and condos. Bridges were closed to and from the island except for emergency vehicles. Utility crews are working to restore electricity to thousands of residents who lost power as the storm intensified. Fort Pierce Utilities Authority temporarily halted power restoration efforts due to severe weather conditions but has since resumed operations as the storm weakens. Florida Power & Light is also getting praise from locals for its work.
Tornadoes Cause Chaos on Highways and Residential Areas
Throughout the day, tornado warnings were issued and extended across the Treasure Coast as numerous tornadoes touched down in various locations. Cell phone footage captured the chaotic scenes as tornadoes swirled across highways, overturning tractor-trailers and flinging vehicles off the road. One dramatic video showed a driver on Interstate 95 narrowly escaping a tornado that appeared to be forming just yards away.
In Martin and Indian River counties, massive tornadoes toppled 18-wheelers and caused severe damage to homes and businesses along major roadways. Drivers were forced to turn around as fallen trees, power lines, and debris blocked entire sections of U.S. 1 and other highways. Emergency responders in these counties worked tirelessly to clear roads and assist stranded motorists.
Multiple tornados also touched down further west in Okeechobee and Indiantown.
Palm Beach Gardens, further south, also reported damage from a tornado that tore through the Avenir development. Cell phone videos from the area showed an overturned SUV and homes with roofs ripped off. Fortunately, no major injuries were reported in that incident.
Continued Risks & Recovery Efforts
As of early Thursday morning, Hurricane Milton had begun to dissipate as it crossed the state, but the threat to the Treasure Coast still looms. The National Weather Service has forecasted sustained winds of 40-55 mph, with gusts up to 75 mph, throughout the night. Flooding remains a concern and residents are urged to stay off the roads and avoid flooded areas.
Martin County Fire Rescue and other emergency services have deployed water rescue teams to areas most at risk of flooding. High-water trucks and inflatable boats have been stationed near coastal regions, and crews are on standby to respond to emergency calls.
In St. Lucie County, shelters remain open for those displaced by the storm, with plenty of capacity available for residents needing a safe place to stay. The county has also urged people to stay indoors until the worst of the storm passes and to avoid calling 911 unless they are facing life-threatening situations.
As of the latest update, Hurricane Milton is near Cape Canaveral. The storm is traveling northeast at 18 MPH with maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH.
