Tropicana residents from New York State. Many who have homes in Tropicana are snow birds. Paul Goldfinger photo.
Here is a video obtained by a Sanibel Island photographer who went to Tropicana to check on family members:
Some of you Grovers know that Eileen and I have a place in Tropicana, a manufactured home community in Ft. Myer–southwest Florida. It has about 470 units and has never suffered a devastating storm—-until now.
I recently posted a piece about a tornado which ripped our carport apart a few years ago, but that was an isolated event.
But this morning the entire “Iona” district was torn apart by a sudden tornado that sounded like “a huge rush of wind.” We spoke to a neighbor who went out in his golf cart and saw many homes destroyed.
We are currently in OG, and neighbors watch our place.
Many houses in the community were ruined this morning, but we were fortunate that our street was unharmed. The devastation roared through along a narrow path.
Everyone is without power and water, and there are hunks of sheet metal hanging from palm trees, and many roofs and parts of buildings are scattered about.
We have no information about injuries or residents trapped. Some are huddled in the clubhouse. Winds were close to hurricane force.
Ironically, we recently were speaking to a neighbor about what we would do if a hurricane hit.
When we left last week, many of the Snow Birds had not yet arrived. The couple above were not yet on site.
We are keeping tabs on the situation.
Paul and Eileen
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