Earth Watch Report - Tornado
A mobile home in Acton was peeled open after a severe storm passed through the area Thursday evening.
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| 03.08.2013 | Tornado | USA | State of Montana, Twin Bridges |  |  |
Tornado in USA on Friday, 02 August, 2013 at 03:41 (03:41 AM) UTC.
| Description | |
| We've learned a possible tornado touched down in Twin Bridges during a severe thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon. Madison County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Steve DiGiovanna tells NBC Montana the National Weather Service is heading down to the town Friday morning to investigate. He says someone took a video of the storm, and he witnessed what appeared to be a tornado funnel touching the ground. The possible tornado may be responsible for some of the damage that tore through the town, DiGiovanna said. A veterinary clinic outside of town had the roof ripped off, he said. The thunderstorm left the entire town and surrounding area without power. DiGiovanna said at least six high-voltage power poles are completely knocked down, and power will not be restored for at least 24 hours- if not two to three days. Other damage to the town includes roofs ripped off of several buildings, such as the aforementioned vet clinic and the public works building. Viewers who sent NBC Montana photos of the damage report buildings in town seem to have had roofs missing as well. At least 100 trees are down, DiGiovanna said, and several buildings suffered structural damage from them. Luckily, no one was hurt, DiGiovanna said. Right now, the fire department, sheriff's office, Disaster Emergency Services and dozens of volunteers are working to clear up as much of the fallen trees as they can. He said at least 100 people chipped in to help, and it was great to see the community come together during the disaster. NBC Montana is working to get the latest details on this developing story, and will post updates here and on our Facebook page. |
RAVALLI REPUBLIC
Fast-moving storm tears up Acton trailer park
Duane
Cowdin, owner of the Acton bar, lights up a smoke near what was left of
his garage Friday morning. "It got pretty western around here," Cowdin
said of the Thursday-night storm.
The bar momentarily lost power, and he could tell there were high winds outside, but he didn't figure it was much of a storm. Then a neighbor stopped in and asked, "You been to your house? The garage is gone."
"It raised hell, didn't it?" Cowdin said Friday morning, standing near what was left of his garage. "It scattered s--- from hell to breakfast."
Cowdin's house is a little southeast of the Acton Bar. At a trailer park little farther east on Highway 3, at least four trailer houses were destroyed Thursday night and another three or four were damaged.
Joe Lester, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Billings, said the damage in Acton was caused by straight-line winds that probably reached 90 miles an hour shortly after 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
He said debris was strewn for a mile in an area about 200 yards wide, and all the debris followed the same northwest-to-southeast orientation, which would suggest straight-line winds, not a funnel cloud.
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