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Martin County homeowners pick up after tornado briefly touches down

Posted at 2:11 PM, May 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-28 18:17:46-04

People in Port Salerno are not shocked to hear the National Weather Service has determined a small brief tornado touched down in the area of A1A and Cove Road Sunday. 

A tree branch snapped and fell on Peter Hills' car on Southeast Field Street. 

"It was pretty impressive. It lasted a good 20 seconds as far as I'm concerned," said Hills. 

He said he and his wife were having a late lunch Sunday when the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour and strong wind gusts. 

"Just as the TV said tornado alert and I said to my wife this could be our last meal, it started swirling," said Hill as he described seeing his yard furniture tossed around outside. 

He lives just around the corner from where a trampoline was blown into power lines Sunday. Northwest of Port Salerno, many Treasure Coast homeowners saw major flooding in their neighborhoods. In Palm City, a firefighter said he responded to a 911 call on his block. When he arrived at his house he saw his carport had collapsed on his van. 

"The roof is pretty caved in," said Sean McArdle. 

Flooding is still an issue in some areas in the Treasure Coast.

"It's some of the worst flooding we’ve seen in this area in a really long time," added McArdle.

Hill said he has some advice for homeowners now that he's been through his first storm this year even before the official start of hurricane season. 

"Make sure you have lots of insurance, mother nature is going to win," he said.