GATES Co., N.C. - The National Weather Service team has confirmed a tornado touched down in Gates County on Thursday when severe storms moved through the area.
The NWS said it was an EF-0 tornado with winds at 85 mph.
The tornado touched down just east of Eure near Taylor Mill Road and Askew Road around 4:30 p.m.
It continued on a 3-mile path, snapping trees and causing damage to several homes, and lifted off the ground at Hwy 37, north of Hwy 158.
There have not been any injuries reported due to the tornado at this time.
Residents are beginning to recover from downed trees that came crashing on to homes, power lines and roadways.
Families and neighbors were pulling together to pick up the pieces Friday.
A tree limb came crashing into the one family’s roof.
"There were two holes: one in the kitchen and one in the utility room where the tree limb went all the way through," says Craig Askew.
Several tarps are now tethered to their roof to protect his home from the damage. His wife, Carmen, was home when the tornado moved through the area.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” says Carmen Askew. She says it happened so fast she didn’t have time to panic. “I didn’t hear anything over the phone— no alerts—it just went so fast.”
Luckily, no one was hurt. The family says they are just grateful for their lives because material things can be replaced.
