Weather

Clean-up crews descend on Siler City after confirmed tornado left trail of destruction, debris

Dozens of volunteers descended Saturday on Siler City, one day after a line of potent storms moved through the region and spawned a tornado that touched down outside Siler City in Chatham County.

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By
Adam Owens
, WRAL reporter
SILER CITY, N.C. — Dozens of volunteers descended Saturday on Siler City, one day after a line of potent storms moved through the region and spawned a tornado that touched down outside Siler City in Chatham County.

The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado was responsible for damaging homes, downing trees and knocking out power to the area.

The trail of destruction can be seen clearly on an aerial tour of the region.

Mark Agan, pastor at Community Baptist Church on Hamp Stone Road just outside Siler City, said the turbulent weather was frightening.

"It came up through the subdivision and cut a clear path, (leaving) roof damage and houses without roofs on there," he said. "All of a sudden, it just picked up really fast and really strong and I heard a loud roaring sound."

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According to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service, the tornado was able to inflict damage in just three minutes, and winds in the twister reached a maximum of 100 miles an hour.

Ryan Smith, 12, also lived through the tornado, and said it was "terrifying."

"We were in our closet and all I could hear was trees snapping and a really loud rumble outside," he said.

Ryan worked with neighbors and volunteers to help clean up the damage and debris left by the storm.

"Well, it is our church and I like doing it," he said. "I like helping around."

Other young people pitched in to help pick up debris that adults were cutting up.

Helping to pick up what the adults were cutting up.

"It is just nice to know if you ever need help, everybody is going to be there for you," said Bryson Langley.

The clean-up crews moved door to door, which was a blessing for neighbors who had damaged homes and fallen trees.

"Yea, we are making progress," Langley said.

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