'It was devastating': Clean-up underway in storm-ravaged Pennsylvania community
PHILADELPHIA - Communities across the Delaware Valley are cleaning up after a powerful line of storms brought strong wind gusts that toppled trees, snapped utility poles and caused excessive structural damage.
The intense storms barreled through parts of Pennsylvania and Delaware early Monday evening, causing the National Weather Service to issue several Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm warnings.
Glen Mills was one suburb that took a direct hit from Monday's storm. Surveyors from the National Weather Service visited the town Tuesday to investigate if a tornado has touched down.
Alison Vernamonti, a neighbor who lives on Governor Markham Drive, recalled her husband running inside when the weather started to turn and ordering everyone into the basement.
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'It's a mess': Wake of destruction left by powerful storms that triggered severe weather alerts
A line of strong storms that triggered both tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings on Monday left behind a wake of destruction in parts of the Delaware Valley.
"He runs into the house and yelled ‘Everyone in the basement – go!' we grabbed the kids and the dogs and go in the basement," Alison told FOX 29's Jeff Cole.
Even after the storms passed, the Veramonti family spent the night sleeping in the basement for fear that a tree weakened by the wind would come crashing onto their home.
Their fears didn't come to pass, but some of their neighbors weren't so lucky. Homes and vehicles around the community were crushed by toppled trees brought down by powerful wind gusts.
"It's crazy, we've been here for 20 years or so, and we've never seen this much damage – not in 2021 or 2015," said longtime resident Susan Marshall.
The winds also ripped down power lines and snapped utility poles, causing power outage reports to balloon into the thousands. Well water service was also impacted for several customers.
Nearly a day later, PECO made progress restoring power to those who lost it, but hundreds were still left in the dark. There is no timetable for when services are expected to be fully restored.
The National Weather Service on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that straight-line winds - not a tornado - ravaged the neighborhood. Neighbors say it was unlike anything they'd seen before.
"The long and short of it is that I looked out, and the wind was crazy strong, and whatever we call it, it was devastating," Joe Orso said.