Officials confirm at least 2 tornadoes slammed area Sunday

CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. — Teams from the National Weather Service traveled to Cleveland, Burke and Caldwell counties on Tuesday to survey the widespread damage from the storms that ravaged the areas on Sunday.

[PHOTOS: Chopper 9 flies over storm-damaged neighborhoods]

The meteorologists confirmed to Channel 9 there were at least two tornadoes in our area. As of Wednesday morning though, there has not been confirmation of a tornado in Caldwell County.

[PHOTOS: Storm damage from NC and SC counties]

“That’s what we’re going to try to figure out. If there was a continuous path, maybe (the tornado) could have dropped a third time,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Jake Wimberly.

Hudson resident Ronald Haas told Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster the storm that blew through was the worst he has seen in the 71 years he’s lived there.

“I heard it roaring and I knew what it was when I heard it roaring,” Haas said.

He has no doubt it was a tornado that damaged his home and about 100 other homes, but the National Weather Service has to determine that.

“The severity of the damage doesn’t always indicate one way or the other, but it’s really the nature of how the debris is scattered along the path,” Wimberly said.

Debris was scattered behind East Hudson Baptist Church. Trees snapped like twigs, marble gravestones were knocked over and a shed for a bus collapsed and fell to the ground. There were about 30 people inside the church when the storm hit Sunday around dinner time. A deacon told Channel 9 he got an alert on his phone that said, “Take shelter now.”

Lewis George said he rushed to get everyone, from children to the elderly, into the church’s basement.

He said the wind howled for about 45 seconds and then they looked outside and saw the destruction.

“I thank God that He protected all the folks around here. All the folks that were affected by this. We just thank God. We know it was His hand that protected us,” George said.

The community came together to help homeowners in need, including Haas.

A blue tarp covered his home because most of his roof blew off. He does not have home insurance. He told Foster a nearby church and local firefighters offered to repair his roof and cover the cost.

“It means a whole lot. I really appreciate it,” Haas said.

Channel 9 meteorologists sent radar information to the National Weather Service because the TV station has the only local radar in the area.

Cox Media Group