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we would not be at all surprised if the people in central florida
had no time to absorb the iraqi developments today. for they are reeling
from the deadliest tornado attack in the state's history. there were
at least 38 people killed during two hours of tornadoes last night.
there were four of them. one in the daytona area and three around
orlando. it was devastating. here's abc's mark potter. the damage
was so severe that some areas looked like they had been bombed. the
tornado that hit last, in osceola county, south of orlando, was the
one that hit hardest. in the ponderosa trailer park, mobile homes
and recreational vehicles were turned upside down and torn apart.
the tornado struck suddenly and was gone within a few minutes. you
heard this loud noise, but within seconds, within five seconds, it
hit. survivors tried to salvage what little they could find. rescue
workers spent the day looking for bodies. timothy and beverly cox
came from sebring, florida, to try to find their mother. "there's
nothing left of her trailer at all," they said. the trailer's gone?
the trailer's totally gone. what do you know about your mother? i
don't know a thing. we don't know. there's seven dead. a line of thunderstorms
from the gulf of mexico spawned the three tornadoes. the first hit
at 11:00 last night near daytona beach. the second at winter garden
and sanford, the third in osceola county. even though tornado watches
had been in effect for several hours and were broadcast throughout
the area, many residents went to bed and were caught unprepared when
the tornadoes hit. in winter garden, an entire neighborhood was obliterated
by the storm. this is his room. he was on the telephone. in sanford,
janet sharp lost her home, her fencing business, and for a horrifying
moment, feared she had also lost her son. i could hear a faint voice
and i thought my son was in there. and then the next thing i knew,
he grabbed me and kept shaking me and telling me he was all right.
others here are still waiting for word of their loved ones. mark potter,
abc news, osceola county, florida.