The St. Lucie County sheriff confirmed there are “multiple fatalities” in the county after a tornado outbreak Wednesday.
Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed multiple people were killed at the Spanish Lakes Country Club, a senior community off Spanish Lakes Boulevard near Fort Pierce.
It’s unclear how many people have died or how many others have been hurt.
Pearson said they are checking every house to help those affected as search and rescue operations are underway.
“They are listening for life,” Pearson said regarding what deputies are doing as they visit homes in the neighborhood. “This is a weather event like none other.”
The sheriff told WPTV anchor Meghan McRoberts that somewhere between “6 and 12” tornadoes touched down in the county.
Dozens of agencies, including officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, have responded to the community.
“Our No. 1 goal is life safety,” Pearson said. “We want to get to anybody who might be trapped underneath the rubble or trapped in these situations and get them out safely.”