Where is Lower Grand Lagoon and Marianna? Tornado tears across Florida Panhandle

C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated ·2 min read
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A tornado ripped through the Florida Panhandle Tuesday morning, leaving destruction in its path. Residents were quick to confirm it as well, with social media posts showing the fury and the aftermath as the storm tore through Lower Grand Lagoon, swept through northwest Calhoun County and into Jackson County.

Videos show damage to buildings and businesses — including a house left tilted on its side and leaning on the next-door neighbor's building — and debris-filled streets. An RV park in Marianna was completely destroyed and search and rescue efforts are going on.

Where is Lower Grand Lagoon, Florida?

Lower Grand Lagoon, the "Gateway to the Gulf," is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bay County, at the east end of Panama City Beach on the Gulf of Mexico just north of St. Andrews State Park.

The location is known for water-based activities such as swimming, boating, diving, and fishing, along with multiple tourist tours for sunset and dolphin watching.

Lower Grand Lagoon had a population of 4,939 in 2021, according to Data USA, with a median age of 50.7. Median household income then was $69,141, median property values were $271,900 and the poverty rate was 13.2%.

Where is Marianna, Florida?

Marianna, the "City of Southern Charm," is the county seat of Jackson County, just south of the Alabama border. The city has a total area of 16.8 square miles, per the U.S. Census Bureau. Marianna is the home of Chipola College and is located just south of Florida Caverns State Park.

The city, barely recovered from the widespread devastation of Hurricane Michael in 2018, was hit hard by the tornado. Jackson County Administrator Wilanne Daniels said the reported tornado caused "pretty substantial damage" to the Spring Chase neighborhood off Blue Springs Highway and the Florida Caverns RV Resort at Merritt’s Mill Pond on U.S. Highway 90 in Marianna.

Marianna had a 2021 population of 6,446, Data USA said, with a median age of 35.6. Median household income then was $27427, median property values were $86,200 and the poverty rate was 28.7%.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida weather: Lower Grand Lagoon, Marianna ripped up by tornado