PALM COAST, Fla. — Cleanup efforts are underway in Flagler County after major storms knocked down trees and power lines overnight.
The National Weather Service confirmed a "short-lived" EF-2 tornado touched down in the “B” section or Indian Trails portion near Belle Terre Pkwy. and Pine Lakes Pkwy. of Palm Coast.
Cornelius Friendly said he was getting ready for the day when the storms flared up just before 5 a.m. Thursday.
"The house started shaking like there was a train going by,” Friendly said, “and I heard a bunch of whistling and a big crash and a bunch of powerlines sizzling."
Terrified, Friendly's wife found him, and they went to check it out.
"I looked outside and there were trees down everywhere," Friendly said.
Friendly said one tree fell from their yard across the street, blocking the road, but it was quickly removed. Large limbs on another tree in the yard snapped, too.
"All the neighbors worked together to help each other, and we made the best of a bad situation."
Friendly said he's had storm damage many times before but not from a tornado.
"You can never prepare for a tornado like a hurricane,” Friendly said, “but I'm glad none of my neighbors were hurt or injured. Everything else we can fix, repair or rebuild."
Palm Coast City officials said the most important thing is no one got hurt.
"This is a resilient community and a resilient neighborhood, and we'll be back up on our feet before long," a spokesperson for the city said.
Officials said there are "several" homes and vehicles with "catastrophic damage" but they aren't sure yet how many.