CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) -– A powerful tornado ripped through Citrus County, located north of Tampa, leaving a trail of destruction and causing significant damage to two homes. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as residents began the arduous task of cleaning up the aftermath.
Captured on camera, the storm’s ferocity shocked homeowners as they watched their properties being torn apart.
“Oh my God! The whole house is gone!” one resident exclaimed. Another added, “There goes the roof over there.”
Mitchell Kinney, one of the affected homeowners, described the devastation.
“We came out first light this morning. I was devastated of course. Put a lot of time and effort and a lot of belly laughs at this place,” he said.
Kinney’s home, now in ruins, held many cherished memories of time spent fishing, paddleboarding, and boating with family and friends.
“You can see from the cabin across the street, 50 feet from it, we have nothing and his is still standing. That’s how close it can be,” Kinney noted, illustrating the tornado’s selective destruction.
Walker Willis, whose family owned the other destroyed home, shared similar sentiments.
“We got some pictures, and it just really didn’t capture what it was like to walk through the kitchen which is now just open,” said Willis. “So many fond memories, bonfires and you come out here and it’s just desolate really. It’s hard to imagine what it was like when it was fully functioning and we were all here together and it’s hard to imagine how to go back to being that way.”
Both homeowners are no strangers to dealing with storms, but this tornado hit especially hard.
“Last hurricane that came through, there was 32 inches of water in my place. But as soon as the water recedes, our place dries out and 24-hours later I’m back in business. But, it’ll be longer than that now,” Kinney recalled.
Despite the destruction, families are grateful that no one was hurt.
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