On Saturday, a tornado hit Palm Beach Gardens in South Florida, causing significant damage and flipping cars on the highway. A video captured the terrifying moment when strong winds sent a vehicle flying through the air before it crashed down on the tarmac, showcasing the force of nature at its most powerful.
The footage was recorded by writer Daphne Nikolopoulos, who shared it on her Instagram profile. She was one of the people that found themselves trapped inside their cars on the highway when the tornado hit, minutes after they received a warning on their phones. Nikolopoulos described her experience as surreal, as she witnessed flashes of light, trees falling, and cars “being picked up like toys”.
Read: Dust Storm Causes Massive Pileup In Illinois, Over 60 Vehicles Involved
<.blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrqMM8Qgs6c/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">According to the National Weather Service, this was an EF-2 tornado with maximum winds of 130 mph (209 km/h). It began east of Interstate 95, moving northeast with a quarter-mile width. Around 11 minutes later the tornado dissipated, leaving behind a nearly 3-mile (4.8 km) long path of destruction.
No injuries were reported by the Fire Rescue, but the strong winds caused significant damage in the area. Trees and light poles were taken down, roofs were damaged, buildings suffered minor structural damage, and debris blocked roads. Another video shared by Fox News shows a vehicle pileup in a parking lot outside an apartment complex in Palm Beach Gardens.