Mr. Assidon was watching television in his Plantation, Florida living room. The show’s contestants were dancing up a storm. Suddenly, the roof blew off Mr. Assidon’s house.
“We were sitting watching Dancing With the Stars,” said Assidon. “I went to get ice cream, and then the windows popped and we heard a boom. Now there’s nothing left.”
The storm was part of a rain-loaded system that spawned three tornadoes along the south Atlantic coast, packing winds in excess of 100 miles per hour.
Yom-Tiv Assidon spent Wednesday picking through the debris inside his house. The chairs from the dining room had sailed out the front window, the roof was completely gone, and the swimming pool had collected building materials and trash from all around the neighborhood.
Mr. Assidon and his wife, along with the rest of the communities hit, escaped without serious injuries. Miami was spared, but as many as 50 homes were damaged in Plantation and Sunrise.
Barb McKie was watching television, too – and had just seen the tornado warning when the wind whipped through the house. The neighbor across the street lost his roof.
“As many hurricanes as we’ve gone through, my daughter said this was worse than a hurricane,” said McKie.
Anyone in the MidSouth could have told her as much.
