A Saturday tornado was seen ripping through Fort Lauderdale, bursting power lines and destroying nearby boats, video footage showed.
Footage was posted on X (formerly Twitter) showing the natural disaster blowing through the Florida city, concerning local residents. One video showed the tornado hitting what appeared to be a power line, causing a burst of electricity as a green light flashed in the air.
“Oh my god this is so scary to watch. This is literally my worst fear,” a woman behind the camera stated as she recorded the incident.
Another angle displayed the tornado picking up speed, flipping over what appeared to a boat docked in the harbor. (RELATED: ‘By The Grace Of God’: Infant Survives Tornado, Found Nestled In A Fallen Tree)
🚨#BREAKING: A Large Tornado touches down on the ground in the area of Fort Lauderdale reports of damage
Numerous Florida residents watched a confirmed large tornado touches down in the heart of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Officials from the… pic.twitter.com/roLSftVuq1
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 6, 2024
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Miami received multiple calls and social media alerts of a tornado near the Federal Highway around 5:50 p.m., according to Fox Weather. Just five minutes prior to the alerts, the NWS issued a tornado warning to Florida residents, the outlet reported.
A couple visiting the city from New York had been in town to root for the Buffalo Bills prior to receiving the NWS-issued warning, according to Fox Weather. The couple said they witnessed the storm roll through a residential area and marina and recorded the encounter, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Six Dead, Dozens Hospitalized After Major Storms, Tornado Tear Through State, Trigger Massive Explosion)
“We were feeling very pleased with ourselves for missing the snow,” witness Meghan Collins told Fox Weather. “Then, we got more than we bargained for.”
Fort Lauderdale officials posted an update on Facebook warning residents to be cautious while driving as “power lines and debris could cause dangerous conditions.” Officials additionally noted that crews were “actively working to restore power to affected areas.”
There are no reported injuries from the weather incident so far, officials stated.
An NWS team is expected to survey the full damage Sunday which will determine the strength and path of the tornado, Fox Weather reported. The state could face more severe weather within the coming days due to another storm currently moving through the east coast, the outlet reported.