Obi Wan Kenobi
DIS Veteran
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- Sep 30, 2004
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Eustis is north of Orlando, west of Sanford, but in line with Sanford 
FDrom WESH2 News
"EUSTIS, Fla. -- People in Lake County are waking up to damage Friday morning after severe storms and an apparent tornado swept through the area late Thursday night, damaging at least 50 homes.
As the sun comes out, residents are noticing the extent of the damage -- there are trees on top of cars, chimneys toppled to the ground and frightened residents, WESH 2 News reported.
The tornadoes started around 9:30 p.m. and damage reports began at around 11 p.m.
Storms over a six block area of area of Eustis, Fla., were particularly intense.
Sgt. John Herrell of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said reports indicated that damage was "rather significant," however there were no injuries.
"I have heard a lot of windows being knocked out, a lot of significant roof damage, and overturned vehicles," Herrell said.
Officials said damage reports are continually coming and close to 200 first responders are going door-to-door checking on residents.
Progress Energy has shut off the power grid in the area to make sure residents are safe and to restore downed power lines.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office has set up their Mobile Command Center to help with the rescue effort.
One couple who owns a 130-year-old home said it was pretty much destroyed. The windows, doors, garage and roof were ripped apart.
The couple said it sounded like a train.
"We grabbed the dogs, we grabbed the kids, we all huddled in the bathroom," resident Karen Seidule said. "You heard the freight train, you heard the windows popping, you heard the doors popping, you heard the trees crashing down, and you're just real glad you're alive.
Herrell said preparing for the storms was difficult because, unlike hurricanes, there was little advance notice.
"Fortunately this one was not in the wee hours of the morning, when everyone would be asleep," he said. "A lot of people were up watching TV, caught this on the news, and had time to get into the interior part of their houses."
Recovery in Lake County started early Friday morning.
"We have brought out inmates and they're going to be assisting in tree and debris removal," Herrell said.
The damaged area is bound by Haselton Street on the east, Bay Street on the west, Lakeview Avenue on the south, and Orange Avenue on the north.
Schools Still Open
Schools are still open as scheduled, but school officials said the bus routes have changed.
Buses 7214, 7221, 7720 and 7204 transport students to the elementary, middle and high school in Eustis. The buses travel down Lakeview Avenue, a heavily damaged street, so school officials said students need to go to Orange Avenue to pick up the buses.
Bus 7214 is for high school students, bus 7221 is the purple Eustis Heights bus, buses 7204 and 7720 are the middle school buses.
Assistant superintendent Noah Powers said that they made the changes to keep students safe.
"Because of the debris that's on Lakeview Avenue, the buses can't get through there. What we're asking the children to do that catch the bus on Lakeview is to go out to Orange Avenue," Powers said. "Buses will be coming up and down Orange Avenue to pick students up."
With downed power lines and damage around the area, Powers said he was concerned about students walking in the streets.
"We would encourage students to be very careful. We understand that as daylight starts to approach, the majority of that will start to get cleaned up but please, please be careful, don't walk over any power lines. If you see them, walk around them. Try to be extremely careful in this very very bad situation," Power said.
According to Powers, there was no damage to any Lake County schools and they are all 100 percent operational. "
20 homes were seriously damaged and 30 homes have been deemed uninhabitable by authorities
FDrom WESH2 News
"EUSTIS, Fla. -- People in Lake County are waking up to damage Friday morning after severe storms and an apparent tornado swept through the area late Thursday night, damaging at least 50 homes.
As the sun comes out, residents are noticing the extent of the damage -- there are trees on top of cars, chimneys toppled to the ground and frightened residents, WESH 2 News reported.
The tornadoes started around 9:30 p.m. and damage reports began at around 11 p.m.
Storms over a six block area of area of Eustis, Fla., were particularly intense.
Sgt. John Herrell of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said reports indicated that damage was "rather significant," however there were no injuries.
"I have heard a lot of windows being knocked out, a lot of significant roof damage, and overturned vehicles," Herrell said.
Officials said damage reports are continually coming and close to 200 first responders are going door-to-door checking on residents.
Progress Energy has shut off the power grid in the area to make sure residents are safe and to restore downed power lines.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office has set up their Mobile Command Center to help with the rescue effort.
One couple who owns a 130-year-old home said it was pretty much destroyed. The windows, doors, garage and roof were ripped apart.
The couple said it sounded like a train.
"We grabbed the dogs, we grabbed the kids, we all huddled in the bathroom," resident Karen Seidule said. "You heard the freight train, you heard the windows popping, you heard the doors popping, you heard the trees crashing down, and you're just real glad you're alive.
Herrell said preparing for the storms was difficult because, unlike hurricanes, there was little advance notice.
"Fortunately this one was not in the wee hours of the morning, when everyone would be asleep," he said. "A lot of people were up watching TV, caught this on the news, and had time to get into the interior part of their houses."
Recovery in Lake County started early Friday morning.
"We have brought out inmates and they're going to be assisting in tree and debris removal," Herrell said.
The damaged area is bound by Haselton Street on the east, Bay Street on the west, Lakeview Avenue on the south, and Orange Avenue on the north.
Schools Still Open
Schools are still open as scheduled, but school officials said the bus routes have changed.
Buses 7214, 7221, 7720 and 7204 transport students to the elementary, middle and high school in Eustis. The buses travel down Lakeview Avenue, a heavily damaged street, so school officials said students need to go to Orange Avenue to pick up the buses.
Bus 7214 is for high school students, bus 7221 is the purple Eustis Heights bus, buses 7204 and 7720 are the middle school buses.
Assistant superintendent Noah Powers said that they made the changes to keep students safe.
"Because of the debris that's on Lakeview Avenue, the buses can't get through there. What we're asking the children to do that catch the bus on Lakeview is to go out to Orange Avenue," Powers said. "Buses will be coming up and down Orange Avenue to pick students up."
With downed power lines and damage around the area, Powers said he was concerned about students walking in the streets.
"We would encourage students to be very careful. We understand that as daylight starts to approach, the majority of that will start to get cleaned up but please, please be careful, don't walk over any power lines. If you see them, walk around them. Try to be extremely careful in this very very bad situation," Power said.
According to Powers, there was no damage to any Lake County schools and they are all 100 percent operational. "
20 homes were seriously damaged and 30 homes have been deemed uninhabitable by authorities
Not the thing to tell your Mum really. Fortunately, they got out of the area pretty quick and missed hailstones the size of golf balls. I will be glad when he is back home on 1st October after being over there for a month. However, if something is going to happen to your kid it can happen anywhere, so I shouldn't really worry about him just because he is thousands of miles away from us.
