Wilson County community begins recovery after devastating EF-3 tornado

Homes were destroyed, cars were uprooted by the tornado on Thursday in Wilson County, and now flooding from nearby bodies of water swollen by Tropical Storm Debby’s rain is evident.

Weather experts say the tornado, spawned by Debby, is one of the strongest to hit North Carolina.

Doug Etheridge recalls the terrifying moment when his wife heard the tornado tear through during the overnight hours.

“She heard a tree fall down, so she went outside to take a look,” said Doug Etheridge, who lives in Lucama.

When daylight broke, the family discovered that their van had been destroyed.

“Our family van had been with us for about 6-7 years, but unfortunately, it’s been put out of its misery. It got crushed,” Etheridge said.

On Radford Road in Lucama, the Etheridges also saw wind-torn tree lines and uprooted trees left behind by the ferocious winds.

Nick Petro from the National Weather Service says EF-3 tornadoes are rare in North Carolina.

“Rarely do we see EF-3, 4, or 5 tornadoes here, so this is a bit stronger than the typical tornadoes we usually encounter in North Carolina,” said Nick Petro, NWS Raleigh.

The storm also caused a home on Lloyd Road to collapse, leading to the death of 60-year-old Bryan Barnes. Additionally, winds tore the roof off Springfield Middle School just weeks before students were set to return.

As the community picks up the pieces, they find reasons to remain grateful.

“If it wasn’t for my family being okay, I think it would be a little different,” Doug Etheridge said.

WRAL’s meteorologists report that Debby’s tornado is the strongest tropical tornado in North Carolina history, with only two other EF-3s recorded in the state.