MANSFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - A tornado touched down in North Attleboro and Mansfield, Mass. Friday morning as strong storms swept through the region, the National Weather Service confirmed.
The region was included under one of several tornado warnings issued for parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Survey teams were later on scene as of early Friday afternoon examining several areas of damage, according to an NWS statement.
“The survey team has been able to confirm a tornado did touchdown this morning in both North Attleborough and Mansfield Massachusetts,” the NWS said. “However further details regarding EF-rating, start and end locations are still pending the completion of the storm survey.”
SKY7-HD was over the area of North Attleboro, capturing videos of homes hit by the fast-moving storm.
A tree came crashing down during the confirmed tornado in Mansfield, damaging a parked car.
“My girlfriend’s sister came running down and said, ‘Will, I think a tree just hit your car,’” Will Chaplin said. “I’m, like oh God, and the tree was sitting on top of my car.”
Mansfield residents said the fast-moving storm caused most of the damage within minutes.
“Wind came up all of a sudden, saw a limb fall in the backyard and then the whole house shook,” resident Tom Copeland said.
Stoughton experienced similar damage, with large trees toppling into homes.
“You’re running for cover, you’re running to hide, to do the best you can so that you’re not swept up,” said resident Karen Bowie.
Bowie was at home with her dog, who wanted to go outside during the storm. They were looking out the window together when the storm became dangerous.
“I saw the shelter being lifted, and the tree coming so we dove back into the house and went down to the basement,” Bowie said.
The same storm survey team is also scheduled to go into Rhode Island where meteorologists already noted radar indications of possible tornado debris lofted into the air near Scituate around 8:40 a.m.
Extensive cleanup efforts were underway in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island by 12 p.m. Friday after stormy weather earlier in the day, with reports of wind damage and flooding in numerous communities.
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