No injuries reported in aftermath of 110 mph tornado in Charlotte County
Local emergency management officials in Charlotte County are reporting no deaths or injuries Monday morning following damage inspections in the aftermath of the EF1 tornado that plowed through Gasparilla Estates on Sunday.
The tornado is responsible for extensive damage to 21 homes that Charlotte County Community Development inspectors have deemed uninhabitable. Another 18 homes have structural damage, officials reported.
Previous coverage: Tornado, strong storms destroy dozens of homes in Southwest Florida
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According to the National Weather Service in Ruskin, the EF1 tornado made landfall near Placida and Gasparilla Estates just after 6:30 am on Sunday. Winds from the tornado reached approximately 110 mph. Preliminary damage costs are estimated to be around $500,000, according to Tampa Bay's National Weather Service.
Charlotte County commissioners declared a local state of emergency just after 9 a.m. on Monday. A shelter for displaced residents opened Sunday at the Ann and Chuck Dever Regional Park recreation center, but only three people used it and it had closed Monday, Charlotte County spokesman Brian Gleason said via email. No FEMA declaration has been made as of Monday afternoon, he said.
How to help: Southwest Florida picks up after EF2 tornado destroys dozens of homes. Here's what we know
Samantha Gholar Weires covers social justice news for the Herald-Tribune and USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at sgholar@gannett.com or on Twitter: @samanthagweires
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: No injuries reported after EF1 tornado damages homes in Charlotte County
