WENTWORTH, N.C. (WGHP) — There's a state of emergency in Rockingham County after severe storms and unconfirmed tornadoes swept through the area Friday night.
The area is filled with downed power lines, trees snapped in half and damaged homes and cars.
Crews worked through the night clearing the debris. Those cleanup efforts were still underway in Wentworth Saturday evening.
“It’s gonna be okay," said Zachary Stowe, who lives on Sunset View Road, where much of the damage occurred. "We take it one day at a time and keep going.”
Stowe’s mobile home is now unlivable because of the damage. He hunkered down in the bathroom when he heard the winds pick up.
“The house felt like it was almost like a water bed situation where it was picking up and flexing on the house," he said. "It was a very interesting feeling wondering is it gonna come off the foundation? Am I about to take a ride?”
But losing his belongings was never Stowe's concern.
"House is a house," he said. "My property that’s in there, it can be replaced over time. I can’t replace the people I care about.”
Stowe wanted to make sure his neighbors were okay. Rockingham County emergency response crews tell FOX8 no one was injured because of the storm.
“When we came out of that closet, that utility closet, and saw the destruction we were just amazed that everybody was okay," said Jenny Daniels, who lives on Sunset View Road.
Daniels' home and others on the road are still unreachable. Downed trees and debris cover driveways, leaving families displaced and trying to figure out how they begin cleaning up.
“A spot at a time," said Jeremy Lawrence, whose farm was destroyed in the storms. "That’s really it. I don’t even know what to say. It’s just overwhelming.”
People living in the area know there's a long road ahead, and their streets will never look the same.
"We were kind of used to living in the woods and off the beaten path and it’s just all cleared out," said Jonathan Daniels, who still can't get to his home because of debris.
But residents found a way to look past all the damage
“There’s a lot of negative things you see out here and it’s okay," said Stowe. "Just think we lived through it and it’s time to keep moving forward.”
There was no power at any of the homes on Sunset View Road as of Saturday evening. Crews expect will be restored by Tuesday.
Most of the main roadways in town are now clear and open. Cleanup efforts will continue in the coming days. The National Weather Service was in the area on Saturday surveying the damage.
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