Sunset Beach, NC “At least three people died when a possible tornado hit Brunswick County overnight, leaving a trail of damage,” said the sheriff.
The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office said the tornado hit the Seaside Road and US Highway 17 area after midnight. Authorities reported heavy damage, including gas leaks and felled trees and power lines.
The most serious 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 10 people were injured.
Kate Gentle, a Brunswick County resident who lives five minutes from where the tornado landed, told WRAL News that she spent Monday night at her son’s lacrosse game and had no idea there was going to be a storm.
According to Gentle, when the family got home, they experienced strong, regular thunder and lightning. Then, Gentle said, everything was quiet. She put the kids in a closet and just before the tornado warning arrived.
“You could say that something was not right,” she said.
Gentle’s family and home are fine, but she said she is “heartbroken” for the people in her community who were not so lucky.
Sheriff John Ingram said during a news conference that the teams will learn more about the extent of the damage when the sun rises. He asked people who do not own property or who are not helping victims to avoid the area while teams work to clear the streets.
Over 16,800 customers were out of power in Brunswick County at 5 am
The Wilmington Fire Department said teams requested by state emergency management are mobilizing to locate missing people, and a hazardous materials team was responding to a propane leak.
An estimated 140,000 people live in Brunswick County in 2019, according to the U.S. Census.
The storm is part of a larger climate system that is bringing extremely low temperatures to much of the United States, including a paralyzing ice storm that hit Texas, causing huge power cuts.
Storms will continue in the area and tornado clocks are still in place in eastern North Carolina, according to CNN meteorologist Michael Guy.
Areas north of Wilmington, including the Outer Banks to Elizabeth City, remain under surveillance until 8 am, he said.