Sunset Beach, NC At least three people died when a possible tornado crashed in Brunswick County overnight, leaving a trail of damage, the sheriff said.
The Brunswick County Sheriff said the tornado struck after midnight in the vicinity of Seaside Road and US Highway 17. Officials reported heavy damage, including gas leaks and flat trees and power lines.
The most severe damage was reported in the Ocean Ridge Plantation neighborhood, where the three deaths were reported and dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged. In addition to the three deaths, at least ten people were injured.
Brunswick County resident Kate Gentle, who lives five minutes from the tornado, told WRAL News she spent Monday night at her son’s lacrosse game and had no idea there would be a storm.
According to Gentle, when they got home, they experienced heavy, frequent thunderstorms and lightning. Then Gentle said, everything fell silent. She put her children in a closet and just before the tornado warning came through.
“You could see something was wrong,” she said.
Gentle’s family and home are fine, but she said she was ‘sad’ for people in her community who were not so happy.
Sheriff John Ingram said during a press conference that crew members will learn more about the extent of the damage as the sun rises. He asked people who are not property owners, or who do not help victims, to avoid the area while the crew works to clear streets.
More than 16,800 customers were without power in Brunswick County at 5 p.m.
The Wilmington Fire Department said teams deployed by state emergency management were deployed to locate the missing people.
According to the U.S. Census, there will be approximately 140,000 people living in Brunswick County in 2019.
The storm is part of the larger weather system that is causing brutally cold temperatures in much of the U.S., including a crippling ice storm that swept Texas, causing major power outages.
Storms will continue in the area and tornado clocks are still valid for eastern North Carolina, according to CNN meteorologist Michael Guy.
Areas north of Wilmington, including the banks of the banks to Elizabeth City, are under surveillance for up to 8 hours.