Tornado damages 80 mobile homes in central Florida

A tornado damaged more than 70 homes in a mobile home park and a 90-year-old woman was taken to a hospital after a roof fell on her head after a day of wild weather in central Florida Thursday.

Officials in Pasco County, north of Tampa, said 5 homes were deemed unsafe due to major damage, 20 homes have moderate to major damage and 48 homes have minor damage.

Officials said they offered assistance to the affected residents, but all chose to stay with family and friends.

The storm swept through central Florida Thursday morning, spawning several tornadoes. The storm dumped about 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain on the area in just 24 hours, and prompted a flood watch in several central Florida counties through Friday afternoon.

The Lakeland Ledger reported that Marie Weddle was hit on the head when part of her condominium’s roof collapsed in Lake Wales, which is in Polk County.

A neighbor told the paper that Weddle was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center as a precautionary measure.

Forecasters predicted that a cold front from the west Thursday night would sweep more rain into the area Thursday night into Friday afternoon.