Updated 20:50, July the 24th, 2008
Violent storms kill one, destroy homes in N.H.
Gov. John Lynch declares state of emergency in five counties
A long line of powerful storms rocked a stretch of southeastern New Hampshire on Thursday, killing one person and leaving behind a wake of damage.
New Hampshire Governor John Lynch declared a state of emergency in five counties, many of which are home to summer vacationers. Police and firefighters were going door-to-door looking for possible victims in damaged homes that numbered into the hundreds, reports said.
At least six homes were completely destroyed, according to Gov. Lynch.
“It was a narrow swath of destruction that went from Epsom all the way to New Durham,” Lynch said.
The one death was reported in a downed home in Epsom, about 10 miles northeast of Manchester. Officials did not immediately release the identity of the victim, nor did they elaborate on reports of other injuries.
There were several tornado sightings in the area, making Thursday the second straight day those have been spotted in New England. Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island were hit by reported twisters Wednesday, with tornado warnings lasting into the evening.
But this stretch of New Hampshire took the brunt of the wild weather, by far.
The first reports of a tornado and a funnel cloud came into the National Weather Service office in Gray, Maine, around noon, according to reports. While those sightings were never confirmed, the next hour or so wreaked havoc on residents.
When it was over, several roads were closed due to downed trees and power lines and some 6,000 homes were without power, reports said.
There were several accounts of uninjured residents stuck inside their homes with electric wires dangling outside.