Rocky Mount EF3 tornado: 15 people injured, 14 buildings damaged, city issues State of Emergency

There were 15 people injured after a confirmed tornado Friday afternoon in Rocky Mount, according to Nash County Emergency Management.

The National Weather Service said an EF-3 tornado touched down around 1:31 p.m. Friday with estimated peak winds of 140 mph.

Four of the injuries are considered serious, city of Rocky Mount and Nash County leaders said. However, city and county leaders said no children were injured.

“It sounded like a train, like a freight train coming,” Demetrius Slade said. “That’s when it started hitting [and] debris started flying around.”

Slade said he saw the tornado lift up a car, swirl it around and throw it into a restaurant. He added his car was near the two the tornado picked up.

“That was a fear,” he said.

There were 14 buildings damaged from the tornado, according to Nash County Emergency Management.

“Right now, we’re in the recovery phase,” said Rocky Mount Fire Chief Darvin Moore. “We’re just trying to wrap our hands around everything.

“We are actually doing a damage assessment, making sure all the power is cut, the utilities are cut [and] the gas is cut.”

On Friday, Rocky Mount Mayor C. Saunders Roberson declared a State of Emergency due to the damage caused by the tornado.

Cars lifted in the air and crashed into buildings in Rocky Mount along North Wesleyan Boulevard.

On Friday afternoon, WRAL News received several reports and radio traffic along Benvenue Road and Tiffany Boulevard near North Wesleyan Boulevard.

Rocky Mount resident Sonny Cardinale was eating at a restaurant Friday along North Wesleyan Boulevard.

“I grabbed some other people and pulled them underneath the table,” Cardinale said. “It was just horrific.”

Cardinale reunited with his wife after the tornado passed.

A viewer submitted pictures of damage to a restaurant and of a tractor-trailer on its side near a Days Inn and Suites.

Rocky Mount businesses with damage include:

• Hing Ta Restaurant at 1275 North Wesleyan Boulevard
• Books a Million: 1100 North Wesleyan Blvd.
• El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant: 1296 North Wesleyan Blvd.
• Furniture Fair, 1310 North Wesleyan Blvd.
• New Beginnings Christian Center: 653 Tiffany Blvd.

Rocky Mount tornado photo gallery: Click or tap here to see pictures of the damage

Sampson County tornado

The National Weather Service also confirmed Sampson County had a tornado at 11:25 a.m. Friday near Garland.

Sampson County Emergency Services said two storage buildings and a family home were damaged. However, Sampson County Emergency Services said there were no injuries.

The area had downed trees and power lines on Helltown Road near the Bladen County line.

The National Weather Service team will assess the damage in the coming days to determine the tornado’s strength.

Recent tornadoes near Rocky Mount

The Rocky Mount area has seen two other tornadoes in the past year or so: