A fast-moving storm swept through the Palm Springs North neighborhood early Tuesday evening, knocking down trees, damaging homes, and leaving some residents with days of cleanup ahead.

The damage was concentrated in a small area, where powerful wind and heavy rain uprooted large trees and scattered debris across front yards. A massive tree fell onto its side, trapping a small car beneath its branches.

The Gamba family spent hours clearing debris from their property, working late into the night with chainsaws and hand tools.

“I just want to clear as much as possible so that the city can take the rest tomorrow,” said Jose Gamba.

Just around the corner, strong gusts tore shingles from a home, leaving them strewn across the yard. Viewers shared videos showing intense rain and wind pounding the neighborhood as outdoor furniture was sent flying.

“Not even a hurricane took this down, but this did in two seconds,” Gamba said about the tree in his parents’ yard. “We didn’t expect this to happen”.

Florida Power and Light crews were in the area after nightfall, working to restore power and address downed lines caused by the storm.

Despite the damage, neighbors said the overall impact was limited.

“They used to have shade, and now that’s gone,” Gamba said about the downed tree. “That’s probably the worst part”.

No injuries were reported.

A Miami‑Dade County man is behind bars after authorities say he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Catholic school for repairs that were never completed.

Nestor Olivares, 50, is charged with grand theft of more than $100,000, organized fraud and operating without a contractor’s license, according to court records. Investigators allege the theft began in 2024 and involved money paid to repair the roof at St. Kevin’s Catholic School.

Court documents show the school paid Olivares more than $220,000 beginning last year for materials and labor to fix the roof. However, prosecutors say no work was ever done.

During a bond court hearing Monday, Olivares appeared before a judge and spoke through an interpreter.

“He doesn’t have a valid contractor license in the state of Florida or Miami‑Dade County,” Judge Mindy Glazer said during the hearing.

According to investigators, Olivares later tried to negotiate with the school after the work failed to materialize. 

Court records state he ultimately promised to issue a full refund by Feb. 26, but the school never received a payment.

After his arrest, Olivares told investigators he was unable to repay the full amount at one time, the documents say.

Olivares remains in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $30,150 bond. As a condition of his release, he will be required to prove any money used to post bond comes from a legitimate source.