Tornado warnings issued for central Florida this morning turned into the real thing when a reported tornado collapsed a large tent at a Lakeland airport, initially trapping 70 people and injuring seven..
An air show was in progress at the airport when the storm ravaged the area, and intial reports said the collapsed structure was a hangar.
Rainfall battered the Interstate 4 corridor from the Tampa area to Orlando at midmorning, when the warnings were issued.
The storm downed power lines, causing traffic crashes. It also prompted delays at Orlando International Airport.
There were unconfirmed reports of a tornado touching down in the Kathleen area of Polk County.
It was the second day of gusty storms in the region. On Wednesday, strong winds blew a Carnival cruise ship from its dock at Cape Canaveral and flipped a tractor-trailer on its side while it drove on Interstate 95 in Brevard County. The truck driver suffered minor injuries and was treated at a Titusville hospital.
© 2013 Newsmax. All rights reserved.