Johnston County reports $25M in damage

In the county, 135 homes were destroyed and hundreds of others were damaged.

Lauresa Lassiter, of Micro, said she had just enough time to run into the bathroom with her mother and sister when a tornado picked up her mobile home. The trailer landed on top of a car. The three were not seriously injured. 

"I don't have any broken bones, but I have a bunch of cuts," she said. 

Lassiter said Warren's Chapel Original Free Will Baptist Church and other churches located on U.S. Highway 301 North have donated hot meals, clothes, baby food and blankets to her and other storm survivors.

“I’m so thankful for the churches. Without the churches, I don't know what we would do. It takes time for the government to do what they need to do, but we need help right now,” she said.

The churches said they will be providing meals and toiletries for several days and will try to answer the call of what the community needs. Other churches are also coming to assist with relief efforts, they said.

Anita Godwin, of Warren's Chapel, said local congregations saw a need and came together to fill it. 

"My favorite thing is to see them pull up with an empty car and the wheels rolling real fast and then they leave and their cars are loaded down and they can barely move," Godwin said.