News

The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-1 tornado raked through DeLand, damaging at least five homes in its path.

The National Weather Service office in Melbourne confirmed this afternoon that DeLand was struck by an EF-1 tornado on Saturday, January 4.

 

The Weather Service reported a 3 mile long continuous path of damage that stretched from Woodward Avenue Elementary to Colorado/New York Ave in DeLand. The tornado’s max strength winds were estimated at 90-100 mph (EF-1). The tornado is believed to have started at 11:25 a.m. and was on the ground for about four minutes.

 

While the tornado was still on the ground, Public Works crews began receiving calls and responded to more than a half dozen locations that were affected. Here are the locations where crews responded:

• Stone St. & Ambrose St.
• E. Euclid Ave & S. Alabama Ave.
• Oakhurst Ave and Valleydale Ave.
• Candlelight Oaks
• S. Parson Ave & W. Winnemissett Ave.
• S Amelia Ave near E. Euclid Ave.
• VFW Station (Flag Pole removed)
• E. Voorhis Ave & S. Chandler Ave.
• S. Virginia Ave. & E. Voorhis Ave.
• S. Thompson Ave & W.     Winnemissett Ave.

 

A total of five homes – as far west as the Candlelight Oaks subdivision to as far east as the 500 block of South Garfield Avenue – were found to have sustained major damage, two were deemed uninhabitable,according to city building staff. The VFW 2380’s roof, a block shed and a metal clad wood frame shed on VFW property were damaged.

 

Damage to city property included Melching Field, the Chipper Jones Family Little League Complex and a city pump station caught on fire.

 

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