2 die in Florida from power line downed by Tropical Storm Nicole


Tropical Storm Nicole has been blamed for the deaths of two people in Florida.

Officials at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said two people were electrocuted by a downed power line early Thursday near the Conway area on the southeast side of Orlando.

The power line fell as Nicole barreled across the Florida Peninsula after making landfall about 3 a.m. Thursday just south of Vero Beach, Florida as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

More than 300,000 power outages have been reported across the Sunshine State as of early Thursday afternoon.

Relentless waves caused by Nicole have pounded Florida beaches. The erosion led to the evacuation of several condominiums and houses, which were deemed to be structurally unsound. Parts of homes and other buildings have also washed into the sea as the ground they were built on is eaten away by the high surf.

While Nicole has now weakened into a tropical storm, impacts such as coastal flooding, beach erosion, heavy rain, gusty winds and tornadoes will continue to spread across Florida, the Southeast and up the Eastern Seaboard through Friday.

Tropical Storm Nicole
Two people in Florida died from exposure to a power line downed by Tropical Storm Nicole.

Tropical Storm Nicole
Tropical Storm Nicole is battering Florida.

Tropical Storm Nicole
Tropical Storm Nicole has resulted in more than 300,000 power outages.

A Tornado Watch was in effect Thursday for areas of northeast Florida, coastal Georgia and southeast South Carolina.





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