North Carolina EF3 tornado injures 15 people during Helene [Video]

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – A tornado that was only on the ground for the length of about five football fields destroyed vehicles and heavily damaged buildings in a North Carolina community along I-95 on Friday.

The National Weather Service office in Raleigh said the twister occurred around 1:30 p.m. and was estimated to have winds of 140 mph when it rolled through the city of Rocky Mount.

“While the path was short, the damage was intense, as all but one of the masonry exterior walls was blown over at an auto repair shop, and another nearby brick building was completely leveled with none of the walls left standing. Many of the surrounding buildings were damaged from brick and masonry blocks that were picked up and thrown into the walls and windows of the nearby buildings. Dozens of vehicles, including several large trucks, were picked up and tossed around,” NWS meteorologists said.

After the event, 15 people were confirmed to be …