Tornado rips through Lake Yale’s North Camp in Central Florida

EUSTIS (FBC)—As a series of storms tore across Central Florida in the early hours of Friday, Feb. 2, a tornado touched down at Lake Yale Conference Center on Friday, Feb. 2 at 3:30 a.m., causing extensive damage in the North Camp area.

Don Sawyer, conference center manager, reported that no one was hurt, however, even though about 100 persons were staying overnight at the Conference Center, which is operated by the Florida Baptist Convention. No damage was done to the conference center or South Camp, which had been hit by a twister on Christmas Day.

Four North Camp dorms received roof damage and the chapel steeple was torn off the roof. Doors and windows were blown out and power lines were ripped out which will require extensive electrical repair.

Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers already have responded to the damaged area, Sawyer said, helping with the clean-up.

The storms also did extensive damage in nearby Lady Lake, Sawyer reported, and 500 people need immediate housing.

“These are our neighbors,” said Sawyer, adding that South Camp and North Camp when repairs are completed will be used to house many of the displaced persons.

Florida Baptist Disaster Relief teams are being activated in the affected areas, reported Fritz Wilson, director of the Disaster Relief and Recovery Department. Lake Yale will serve as command center for the duration of the recovery.

Governor Charlie Crist has issued a state of emergency for four Central Florida counties: Lake, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia. Media reports indicate that at least 14 persons were killed by the storms.