2 tornados in Pensacola area: 1 dead, 1 struck by lightning, homes damaged

2 tornados in Pensacola area: 1 dead, 1 struck by lightning, homes damaged

One person was killed and homes were damaged in the Pensacola Beach area after two tornados were reported in the area Thursday night.

Davis Wood, Public Information Officer for Escambia County (Fla.) confirmed a woman was killed when a tree was felled by a tornado and struck the victim’s home just after 8:30 p.m. The home is located in the 500 block of Coker Lane in Pensacola.

Roughly a half hour earlier and just blocks away, another resident was rushed to the hospital after being struck by lightning in the 2300 block of West Mallory Street around 8 p.m.

Wood also said he received reports of a tornado touching down in Pensacola Beach during the early morning hours Friday, with structural damage to homes in the West Galvez Court area. Wood had not yet received details on the extent of the damage.

In addition, 146 people rescued from a flooded apartment complex Thursday night. Escambia County Area Transit buses transported the people from the apartments to a nearby community center, according to WEAR.

The Pensacola area remained under a severe thunderstorm watch, flood watch and flash flood warning as of Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Escambia County Area Transit has suspended all services other than emergency service for Friday and Escambia County Emergency Operations went to Level 2 status Friday morning.