At least 19 persons were killed by tornadoes and electrical storms that hit central Florida on Friday, the spokesman for Lake County told AFP, as crews searched the area for more victims.
"There are 13 (deaths) in Paisley and six in Lady Lake" Christopher Patton said.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist toured the area and declared a state of emergency in four counties, but did not discuss the toll, as search and rescue teams were still sifting through the rubble of family homes seeking survivors.
There was "certainly loss of life but exactly what the number is I'm not going to guess," he said.
The affected areas are near Disney World, which was not affected by the storms.
The deadly storms ripped through the area before dawn, tearing roofs off buildings, flattening homes and leaving thousands without power, local officials said.