Tornadoes confirmed in Florence and Fayetteville

SURVEY TEAMS HAVE CONFIRMED THAT TORNADOES WERE THE CAUSE OF DAMAGE IN PARTS OF FLORENCE AS WELL AS IN FAYETTEVILLE LATE FRIDAY AND EARLY SATURDAY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS RELEASED PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AFTER ASSESSING THE WEEKEND STORM DAMAGE. THE WEATHER SERVICE CONFIRMED THAT AN EF-2 TORNADO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE TO THE PLANTATION SPRINGS COMMUNITY NEAR THE FLORENCE AND ST. FLORIAN BOUNDARY. SEVERAL HOMES IN THAT SUBDIVISION SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE FROM THE TORNADO ABOUT 11 PM FRIDAY. WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE 120 MILES PER HOUR AT THE STORM’S PEAK. HEAVY DAMAGE WAS ALSO REPORTED IN OTHER AREAS OF FLORENCE AND THE SHOALS AREA. IN FAYETTEVILLE, THE WEATHER SERVICE SAID AN EF-2 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN. DAMAGE ALONG A FOUR-MILE PATH IN THAT AREA INCLUDED AT LINCOLN MEDICAL CENTER. THAT STORM PACKED WINDS OF ABOUT 118 MILES PER HOUR. MORE SURVEYS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE COMING DAYS. EFFORTS CONTINUED THROUGH THE WEEKEND IN FLORENCE TO RESTORE POWER LOST IN FRIDAY NIGHT’S STORMS. AS OF EARLY THIS SUNDAY, THE FLORENCE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT REPORTED THAT MORE THAN SEVEN THOUSAND CUSTOMERS WERE STILL WITHOUT POWER. CREWS FROM SEVERAL OTHER UTILITY AGENCIES HAVE JOINED FLORENCE CREWS TO REPAIR DAMAGE AND GET POWER BACK ON.

NWS tornado survey