Thousands of people without electricity after violent storms in the Tampa area of ​​Florida

PINELLAS PARK, Florida – Violent storms devastated the Tampa Bay area on Friday, including at least one tornado. The trees and the wires fell, while the houses were torn from the roofs.

The mobile phone video captured the late afternoon tornado that ravaged Seminole, Florida, about 15 miles west of Tampa. The heavy rain and wind uprooted trees, knocked down power lines and caused significant damage to many homes and businesses.

"There are no injuries, everyone is safe, we have cleaned up all the damaged buildings," said Seminole Fire Chief William Morelli.

For several hours, at least five counties were warned of the tornado. After the storm, the road crews started cleaning the streets blocked by fallen trees. Some neighbors were shocked by the damage. Chuck DiMarco said he was at the supermarket during the storm and that he had received a panic call from his wife.

"She said" Come home now, tornado. "It's all that she said," DiMarco said.

Once home, he said that he was not sure what he would see.

"I walked this way to my house and prayed that I would find my house so that we would be spared," DiMarco said.

Nearly 60,000 people were without electricity on Friday. The good news is that the National Weather Service has given this region the green light for all other possible storms.