Stantonsburg, N.C. — A line of severe storms barreled through Wilson and Edgecombe counties late Saturday afternoon, sparking tornado warnings during the 5 o'clock hour. 

In Stantonsburg, the storm destroyed Robert Watson's carport, garage and SUV and damaged his living room. "Just a couple of minutes and it was over with," he said.

Emergency personnel said the winds lifted a neighboring home right off the foundation.

"It sounded like an explosion," Quinton Lofton said. "Then the next thing you know, the house just shook."

The community continued cleanup late into the evening, but all agreed they were grateful the storms brought only property damage. No one was injured.

It was the second blast of severe weather for residents east of the Triangle, who saw a tornado warning earlier in the day.

An outbreak of whipping winds around 1:30 p.m. prompted a short-lived tornado warning in Nash and Halifax counties. 

One person there said a tornado touched down near the intersection of N.C. Highway 58 and N.C. Highway 56. Other officials in Nash County, however, could not corroborate that report.

Firefighters in Castalia said they had reports of a "funnel-like" cloud forming in the sky, but they did not think the storm touched down.

Nash County 911 dispatchers said they had not received any damage reports.