Tornado confirmed in NC, thousands without power, trees fall on homes and cars
WRAL News is receiving photos of trees through cars, crushed gas station canopies, a trampoline blown across a yard and more after Tuesday's severe storms left damage behind.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sky 5 flew over a Wendell home, where a 100-year-old tree fell onto the roof.
One person died Tuesday from the storm in Catawba County, where the National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado in the Claremont community.
According to Catawba County Communications, the person died around 1 p.m. along Evening Drive, located south of Old Catawba Road.
Ashley Sigmon, an Alexander County resident, was driving her daughter to work on Interstate 40 through Catawba County when the severe storm rolled through on Tuesday.
"The highway is lined with trees on both sides of the highway," she said. "I could see nothing but water. It was just a big blur, but you could hear and see smidgens of the tree breaking."
Power outage totals from Duke Energy as of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday:
- 4,379 customers impacted across North Carolina
- Wake: 82 customers without power
- Durham: 211 customers without power
- Johnston: 109 customers without power
- Orange: 13 customers without power
More than 17,000 residents in Wake County were without power at the storm’s peak, and more than 170,000 residents lost power across the state on Tuesday.
A tree fell through a woman’s home on Tuesday in North Hills during the peak of the storms.
"I was about to walk out of my house, and then I heard the noise," the woman said. "It was super loud, and then we all ran."
Heavy rain throughout Tuesday saturated the ground, while strong wind gusts up to 69 mph at RDU made trees susceptible to falling during a WRAL Weather Alert Day.
The woman said she and two other people in the house were left in shock.
"We were more in shock than scared," she said. "Because we heard it, but we didn’t know where it was going to land."
The woman living in the house said she is staying with family in Harnett County while repairs are made.
"[We’re] trying to make the best of it, [we’re] just glad everyone is okay," she said.
'A bit like a bomb'
The fallen tree was just one of many weather-related incidents across central North Carolina.
Sky 5 on Wednesday flew over northern Orange County, where strong winds ripped a metal roof off an outdoor structure. In Cary on Otter Drive, a family's trampoline blew into their neighbor's yard.
In Wendell, a 100-year-old tree fell on a family's home and brought down a power line in their yard. A man reached out to WRAL News with photos of a tree branch through the roof of his daughter's car.
WRAL made Tuesday a Weather Alert Day due to the potential for heavy rain, strong winds and the possibility of isolated tornadoes.
The strong winds also caused significant power outages.
Jeff Brooks with Duke Energy said the strong winds are making it difficult for power crews to restore power to affected areas in the Triangle.
"We’ve seen those numbers jump from about 4 p.m. and on. When those winds come through and the storm cells, with that mix of rain and wind happening at the same time it’s a bit like a bomb," Jeff Brooks with Duke Energy said. "It creates a lot of damage and its way. So that's what we're going to be out working to repair."
'Half of my car was submerged'
Residents evacuated a Chapel Hill apartment complex due to flooding.
Emergency crews assisted seven people with evacuations from the Camelot Village apartments.
Water was pooling inside the first floor of the apartment complex. Residents said the area is prone to flooding.
"I feel terrible, disappointed [and] humiliated," said Camelot Village resident Vanessa Byrd. "I feel like they should have done something about this a long time ago."
An Uber Eats driver tried to make a delivery to the apartment on Estes Drive, but authorities told him to turn back and try another way.
"I drove my car in and like half of my car was submerged," Taijai Gibbs said. "That’s, like, dangerous. I would not go in there. I would not go too far in that."
Byrd said she never wants to go through this experience again. She’s hopeful she can find another housing situation soon.
"I must find somewhere else to live,” she said. They need to give people safer places to live."
Wendell couple dodges downed tree during storm
On Tuesday night, Ricky and Jean Carter were at their Wendell home as storms ravaged North Carolina.
"We had just seen [WRAL meteorologist] Mike Maze say that they had a 69 mph-wind at the airport and it was maybe 10 minutes later," Jean Carter said.
Ricky Carter described what he saw looking out the window at their giant oak tree.
"I said, 'Man! Uh oh!'" Ricky Carter said. "It looked like it was going down in slow motion."
The tree came to rest heavily on the roof.
Ricky Carter knows it could have been worse.
"I think the house was built pretty good back in the day because as big as that tree is, it would actually went through the houses that they build nowadays," Ricky Carter said.
Oak trees offer plenty of shade, but they're known for having shallow root systems.
On Wednesday morning, the Carters were more concerned about a live power line on their driveway.
"I'm just afraid," Jean Carter said. "It's not safe to walk out here and try and do anything with this 'live' power line.
"And, they keep telling me every time [that] somebody is coming out here."
A Duke Energy crew arrived around noon Wednesday to remove the downed power line.
"We'll get by," Ricky Carter said. "It's just another part of life."
The home is whree Jean Carter lived in her childhood. She and her husband returned to live there four years ago.
