Tornadoes Rip Homes, Businesses in Florida Panhandle

Multiple tornadoes and high winds were reported across the South early Tuesday, including Panama City, Florida, where storms caused significant damage to homes and businesses and forced rescues of stranded residents.

ClickOrlando.com and other news sites said the line of powerful weather was expected to cross central Florida by Tuesday afternoon.

In Bay County, in the Florida Panhandle, Sheriff Tommy Ford said on Facebook that several tornadoes had touched down in the area and that his office had received numerous reports of damage to structures. Power was out for hours to parts of the region.

In Alabama, high winds and flooding were reported in Shelby County, Tuscaloosa County and Jefferson County, WVTM TV 13 noted.

The storms were part of Winter Storm Finn, which has brought rain, wind and snow to much of the country.

Photo: Damage in Bay County, Florida. (Bay County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)