At least three people died and 10 others were hurt when an EF-3 tornado ripped through Brunswick County in southeast North Carolina early Tuesday, authorities said.
The strong EF-3 tornado produced winds of 160 mph, meteorologists from the National Weather Service found when they surveyed the storm damage later on Tueday.
According to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, the worst damage was in the Seaside community, where multiple homes and vehicles were damaged. First responders were on the scene all night trying to clear debris and search for any survivors.
Ed Conrow, director of Emergency Management Services in Brunswick County, said the tornado touched down in the area of Seaside Road and NC 17 just before midnight.
“As daylight comes out we’re going to do a systematic search through all the residences and structures that were destroyed or damaged to confirm any injuries or fatalities in them. That search is probably going to take several hours this morning and I expect to go into the afternoon tomorrow,” Conrow said. #NCwx
