CHARLOTTE, N.C. β A tornado that touched down near Rocky Mount, North Carolina, caused major damage east of Raleigh Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
A tornado warning in Nash County expired at 1:30 p.m. but not before the storm wreaked havoc in eastern North Carolina. According to WRAL-TV meteorologists, the tornado may have covered a path of 20 miles with a debris wall that was 2.5 miles wide near Interstate 95.
I-95 was shut down in both directions after the storm took down trees and left a path of destruction between exits 138 and 141. The North Carolina Department of Transportation tweeted photos of the damage along the highway.
The storm ripped the roof off the Pfizer building in Rocky Mount. There were reports of injuries, damaged homes and cars with windshields blown out across Nash County, WRAL reported.
Numerous photos and videos posted to social media appeared to show the tornado and the damage left behind by the storm. One video showed a Honda SUV with the windows blown out and trees everywhere.
"We were just in a tornado," the caption reads.
Jackie Vick, the mayor of Dortches, said he was grateful no one was killed during the tornado. Vick told WRAL that at least five homes were destroyed.
"It went from sunshine to pitch black," Vick said. "We're just thankful there were no lost lives."