Teenager killed after storm sweeps through Florida Panhandle

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A 16-year-old girl in the Florida Panhandle was killed when a tree fell on the vehicle she was in during a fierce storm that saw wind speeds reach 80 mph (129 km), authorities said.

The girl was killed and the vehicle’s driver was hospitalized Friday after the storms swept through the Tallahassee area, according to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.

Because of the damaging winds, authorities in neighboring Jefferson County temporarily closed Interstate 10, the main highway through the Florida Panhandle.

Damage was caused by straight-line winds that reached speeds of between 60 and 80 mph (96 and 129 kph), according to the National Weather Service.