PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – The National Weather Service confirms that a tornado caused the damage last night in northern Pitt County.
Meteorologists say the EF-1 tornado had winds between 80 and 90 miles per hour.
Several buildings were either heavily damaged or destroyed, while two homes received minor damage from flying debris.
Highway 30 between 1 Mile Road and Stanton Mill Road outside of Bethel reopened this morning after being closed overnight.
Pitt County interim emergency management director Allen Everette confirms an old country store was destroyed on Highway 30 near Whitehurst Station Rd.
He says two homes received minor damage from the debris from the store destruction.
Clayton Everett ran inside when he saw the storm approaching. “I got in the house and it got louder and louder, I looked back and debris was going up in the sky like you wouldn’t believe,” Everett said. “I closed the door and it didn’t last any time hardly at all.
Everett’s home was damaged by flying debris, as was his pickup truck. His father-in-law built the country store that was a fixture in the community for decades.
Across the road several outbuildings were destroyed by the storm, as well. Debris was strewn across several fields in the area, while no one was hurt.
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The National Weather Service is confirming that a number of homes have been damaged around the time of a reported tornado was seen in Pitt County, near Bethel, in the area of Highway 30 and Staton Mill Road.
No injuries are being reported.
This picture was sent to us from Caty Mathews Whitehurst from her home on Staton Mill Road.
An old country store collapsed from the storm off Highway 30 by Whitehurst Station Road.
The electric company is on scene monitoring downed wires across from the barn.
Pieces of the store was scattered across the street and landed on nearby railroad tracks.
Emergency management crews are cleaning the streets and railroad tracks of debris.
by WITN
Posted: Mon 8:30 PM, Jun 05, 2017 | Updated: Tue 2:11 PM, Jun 06, 2017
