'It was pretty scary'; resident recalls roof ripping from home in possible tornado
MARTIN COUNTY — Bobby Chanthavong said he was listening to a podcast Tuesday night when what he and others said was a tornado came through, ripping a portion of the roof from his home.
“It was pretty scary,” Chanthavong, 34, said Wednesday. “I had my headphones on, but I could feel it … it didn't last too long.”
Chanthavong and others on Southeast Fork Drive in the small community near Hosford Park by Kanner Highway and Southeast Cove Road recalled what they said was a tornado roaring through late Tuesday night.
Although the National Weather Service only received reports of wind damage rather than a tornado, residents thought the latter was the reason for the damage.
“No one saw an actual tornado,” said Derrick Weitlich, a meterologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne. “We don’t know if it was due to a strong squall that went through and produced straight-line winds or if it was an actual tornado.”
Large portions of a metal roof on Chanthavong’s home were ripped off.
“Last night when I came out, and didn't see the roof up there. … I was hoping it wasn't leaking,” he said. “But, it's not leaking yet.”
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Chanthavong said he wasn’t hurt, nor were vehicles at his home damaged.
While large portions of the roof of his home appeared peeled off, other, smaller items, such as coconuts in his yard were in place.
“It’s funny how some of the stuff is just messed up,” he said. “But some of the little things barely even didn't move at all.”
Neighbor Carol Rogers, 65, said she got an alert on her phone at 11:18 p.m.
“I quickly jumped up and sure enough I heard the winds and then all of a sudden I just heard, like, metal,” Rogers said.
She said it sounded like a train coming and lasted a short time.
Rogers, an 8-year resident, and others gathered in the street’s cul-de-sac Wednesday. Some vegetation appeared to have blown down or was scattered.
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Another neighbor said a portion of a mango tree snapped and rested against her home.
Neighbor Krista Phillips, 48, described the sound as “really loud” like a train.
She and her husband, Melvin Phillips, 48, got in a bathroom.
Melvin Phillips said the sound was like something from a movie.
“You thought life was over,” Melvin Phillips said. “You really thought it could have took the whole roof off.”
Krista Phillips said a back canopy was ripped off her home, and noted high waters from the St. Lucie River came into their basement storage area.
She pointed out a small, dead fish that apparently washed up not far away.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com
Lina Ruiz is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for Martin County. You can reach her at lina.ruiz@tcpalm.com, on Twitter @Lina_Ruiz48 or at 321-501-3845
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Martin County resident said a tornado removed part of his roof
