Bill Nelson touring North Florida: ‘It looks like a bomb went off’

Bill Nelson makes a wild (and as yet unsubstantiated) claim about Russian meddling in Florida.

After touring devastated areas around Panama City Thursday, Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said “It looks like a bomb went off” and pledged he and Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio would do everything they could to make sure full federal aid comes to areas struck by Hurricane Michael.

Nelson also visited Tyndall Air Force Base, which he said suffered a catastrophic hit.

A release from his U.S. Senate office after Nelson spent all day Thursday in the Panama City Beach area said he is working with Rubio and other Senate colleagues to “Make sure the area gets everything it needs.”

“I was in the area where the eyewall of the storm passed and the destruction is substantial,” Nelson stated while standing before what was a boat storage site in Panama City Beach.

“It looks like a bomb went off.”

The release said Nelson toured areas of demolished buildings, overturned trailers and vehicles, downed utility lines and washed out roadways. He said residents were experiencing widespread power and cellular outages as well.