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Storm damage prompts state of emergency in Catawba Co.

By Liz Foster
By Liz Foster

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — The Carolinas have some cleaning up to do after being slammed by severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and flooding and possible tornadoes that flipped tractor-trailers and small planes, broke storefront windows and pushed one house off its foundation.

Thousands of people remained without power Tuesday morning following strong storms that slammed the area Monday night, and officials in Catawba County declared a state of emergency throughout the county due to the widespread damage.

[IMAGES: Storm damage throughout the area]

The declaration enables Catawba County Emergency Services to implement coordinated response and recovery efforts in all affected unincorporated areas.

Early estimates are that at least 100 homes were damaged in Hickory during the severe weather.

More storm damage coverage:

Hickory city manager Warren Wood is one of the residents dealing with the widespread damage. A tree crashed down on his home and damaged a car in his driveway.

"The assistant manager, Rodney Miller, and I were looking at a map and I said if this thing is going where I think it is, it's going to be right over my house, and I wasn't able to get out there until later in the evening, but when I did there was a lot of damage," Wood said.

Wood wasn't alone. Just about every neighbor along his street in northwest Hickory began the cleanup process Tuesday.

Corwin Kippenhan was at home with his wife when the severe weather hit. There are so many trees down in his driveway he couldn't get out Tuesday morning. Neighbors pitched in to help Kippenhan and his wife get out of their home.

[CLICK HERE for Duke Energy power outage map]

At least 98,000 homes and businesses lost power across the state, forcing some schools and parks to close Tuesday.

[Chopper 9 flies over storm damage]

Daily rainfall records were reported in Asheville and Charlotte in North Carolina, as well as the Greenville-Spartanburg area in South Carolina. Totals ranged from about 2 inches in Charlotte to more than 3.5 inches in Asheville.

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