Lutz, Fla. (Oct. 28, 2025) — Early this week, a severe weather system swept across Florida, bringing tornados, flash flooding, and heavy rainfall to multiple regions. The storms impacted the central region of the state, including the towns of Eustis, Mount Dora and Titusville, dumping up 15-20 inches of rain that resulted in sinkholes, ravine collapses and road closures, along with tornado damage in Mexico Beach in the Florida Panhandle.
Based on the varied and unexpected degree of damage, The Salvation Army engaged three local teams to assist residents and the communities across the region.
The Panama City Corps responded to meet immediate needs in Mexico Beach, where a local beach resort and a nearby RV park sustained tornado damage. The Corps provided snacks and drinks from their canteen to storm survivors and first responders.
The Leesburg Corps also responded to assist in Eustis and Mount Dora, where the communities suffered road washouts, sinkholes, and infrastructure damage. The Salvation Army has been able to assist with tarps, clean-up kits and food boxes in Eustis, Fla.
Beginning Oct. 29, two service locations will be established to continue service delivery, one in Mount Dora and one in Eustis. These sites are being coordinated by the county emergency management agency as a one-stop location for residents to receive assistance.
The North Central Brevard Service Center responded to a request from the county Emergency Operations Center for cleanup kits, and they are preparing their canteen to provide additional support to the impacted communities with both cleanup kits and meal kits.
The Florida Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) department is actively monitoring the situation and supporting local units with their coordinating with local emergency management offices.
