RUSKIN, Fla. (WFLA) — The National Weather Service has determined it was a tornado that damaged mobile homes in the Paradise Mobile Home and RV Park in Ruskin on Monday night.
A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said that deputies responded to the Paradise Mobile Home Park at 10:15 p.m. after someone called 911 saying a possible tornado moved through the park and damaged multiple mobile homes.
When deputies arrived, they found 10-15 damaged mobile homes. Damage included roofs that had fallen onto carports, damaged power lines and some trees were down.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crews and TECO also responded and helped residents. No one was injured.
Karen Reuter tells News Channel 8 her daughter and grandchildren heard a funny noise and their trailer started to shake. She says they ran outside, afraid that their home was going to blow away. The mobile home now has roof damage, and some rain started to leak in overnight.
Neighbor Katheen Lara tells News Channel 8 she believes the winds cause $1,000 worth of damage to her mobile home.
The National Weather Service, which has an office in Ruskin, surveyed the damage Monday night, and said that a short downburst was likely the cause.
Then, the NWS returned to the location during the day on Tuesday and determined the damage was caused by an EF-0 tornado.
“The tornado formed near the US Hwy 41 bridge that crosses the Little Manatee River in Ruskin, FL. The tornado traveled east northeast and caused EF-0 damage to the Paradise Mobile Home Park,” the NWS said on Tuesday afternoon.
The tornado that hit the mobile home park had a maximum wind of about 70 mph. An EF-0 Tornado has wind speeds between 65 to 85 mph, according to the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
The Paradise Mobile Home and RV Park is located at 2201 Hwy 41 S in Ruskin.
