Cleanup Underway After Two Tornadoes Tear Through Gaston County

GASTONIA, N.C. — When asked about what the storm sounded like, Lowell resident Faith Heavener answered, “Like a freight train.”

That’s what residents heard as a tornado-producing storm approached Gaston County on Wednesday. Much of the WCCB Charlotte viewing area was pounded by severe weather, but Gaston County – which has declared a state of emergency – took the hardest hits.

“I was still watching the warning on TV,” Heavener explains.

“But when it came, I was like, ‘This is for real.’ When I started seeing the leaves swirling in the backyard and saw a branch pop off a tree – so that scooted me inside.”

As of Thursday afternoon, roughly 30,000 customers are still without power in Gaston County alone. That’s roughly a quarter of all customers within the county limits, and some of these homes and business may not even restore power until early next week.

“A lot of trees down,” says Clay Chaney, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartangburg.

“Pretty widespread as far as the damage that’s been going on.”

Chaney was with Gaston County Emergency teams surveying the damage. They confirmed an EF-1 tornado with 110 mile-per-hour winds carved a damage path over 20 miles long through Cleveland and Gaston counties before lifting southeast of Cherryville. But damage was found even well outside the tornado’s path.

“As far as what the extent of what people should take home from this scenario is that you want to treat Tornado Warnings and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings the same. Tornado Warnings, of course, everybody freaks out about those, but severe thunderstorms and straight-line damaging winds can cause just as much damage.”

Farther southeast, the clean-up is only just getting started in Gastonia, according to Gaston County communications director Adam Gaub. He says a falling tree killed a woman in her car on the east side of town. A second EF-1 tornado tore another path over eight miles long through the central and eastern portions of the county, including north Gastonia.

“We’re obviously really saddened by the loss of life in a situation like this,” says Gaub, “But we’re hopeful we’ll be able to rebuild quickly, get our communities back on their feet, and keep moving forward.”

And Gaub says not to hesitate to reach out if you need help.

“Call our non-emergency line for the Gaston County Communication Center. That’s the best way if you’ve got a need. We’ve also got information up on gastongov.com, that’s our website through our social media.”