Cleanup continues after storms damage nearly 100 homes

CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. — The damage in some neighborhoods of Caldwell County is devastating after strong storms -- and possibly a tornado -- blew through the area Sunday night.

At one home, a father and son were out on their porch when the storm blew in. They realized they were in harm’s way so they ran to the basement and huddled together right before an enormous tree fell directly where they had just been standing.

The tree sliced through their brick garage, wiping out an entire section of their home.

Channel 9 was allowed inside the house and saw even more damage.

When the tree took out the garage, it also pierced the laundry room and punctured the walls of the dining room.

Severe damage has been reported from Mount Herman Road in Hudson all the way to the village of Cedar Rock in Lenoir. Multiple roads were shut down Monday and crews were having a hard time reaching some homes because the damage was so bad.

"It sounded like gunfire hitting the windows," added Matthew Parsons. “It was very scary. We all ran in the house, started running down into the basement."

[IMAGES: Severe storms sweep through Carolinas]

Cedar Park, where Parsons lives, was one of the areas hit hardest.

“It's almost like a dart to a dart board, it just went straight through into the garage. There’s a hole maybe about this big -- it's full of water now because it just rained all night last night."

Neighbor David Wessinger couldn't even get out of his driveway hours after the storm hit.

"I was stuck,” he told Channel 9. “We had at least 15 trees down. It was just wall-to-wall trees."

About 9 miles south, on Mount Herman Road in Hudson, every single home on the street had some type of damage.

“It's amazing how much Mother Nature can destroy in such a short time," said resident Amy Bigham. “All you could see was the clouds circling, and it was scary. I'm getting phone calls left and right that there's power out, that there's sheds on top of cars, there's trees on top of cars."

The powerful storm tore roofs off homes and even flattened garages. Terrified families who were running for safety also had to worry about other dangers as well. The wind actually pulled 6-inch nails out of homes and launched them into the air.

"It's a surreal kind of deal,” said homeowner David Bush. “You just don't expect to see that. We've been through difficult times before and it's something that happens."

Officials with the Red Cross and Emergency Management began going door-to-door Monday morning, making sure everyone is OK. They have not found anyone who is hurt, but it will be months before many families will be able to move back into their homes.

Two representatives from the National Weather Service were in Caldwell County Monday to evaluate the damage and Randy Church, Chairman of the Caldwell County Commissioners signed a Declaration of a State of Emergency for Caldwell County Sunday evening.

County officials said 99 homes were damaged in the storm and six of them were destroyed.

No injuries were reported but officials said that just about every home on Mount Herman Road suffered some level of damage.

Thirty-five church members took shelter in the basement of a Caldwell County church Sunday night after reports of a tornado touch down.

South Caldwell High School was an emergency shelter after a tornado reportedly touched down in Connelly Springs.

Officials said on Monday that the shelter was no longer needed.

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