MIAMI — Two tornadoes wreaked havoc in Broward County on Tuesday night as fearsome Hurricane Ian bore down on the state, the National Weather Service confirmed.
Just before 7:30 p.m. Eastern time, the first tornado was confirmed moving north of the county toward Cooper City, forecasters said. As the tornado intensified, the weather service issued a warning telling residents to immediately take cover because the twister could impact Davie, Plantation and Lauderdale Lakes.
Nearly an hour later, another tornado was confirmed very close to the path of the first. Another tornado warning was issued, this time encompassing Pembroke Pines, West Hollywood and Davie.
By 9 p.m., both tornado warnings had expired, but forecasters still warned that gusty winds and heavy rain were likely.
Southeast Florida — including Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — is currently under a tornado watch until 5 a.m. Wednesday, the weather service said.
Dozens of pictures and videos were posted to social media showing the damage the tornadoes had caused in a relatively short time.
North Perry Airport in Hollywood saw extensive damage: Numerous single-engine planes were seen flipped upside down or with wings torn off.
Video taken from a Publix Super Market at 9359 Sheridan St. shows carts strewn, palm fronds covering the parking lot, and cars sheltered under a cover.
In a Cooper City neighborhood, an entire tree was ripped from the ground and toppled.
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