Neighbors help neighbors clean up after swift moving Cherry Hill thunderstorm

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - A stormy night leaves damage and power outages behind in Camden County. People in Cherry Hill woke on Sunday to much damage in their neighborhoods and spent the day cleaning up.

“We couldn’t even get out to go to mass. It’ll take a few days, but we’ll get it cleared up,” said Slavatore Iuvara.

Not how Iuvara and his neighbors expected to spend a beautiful Sunday morning.

Thunderstorm in Cherry Hill, N.J. creates much damage.

“Thank God we all survived it,” Iuvara added.

Fallen trees and power lines blocked both sides of his block on Bedford Avenue, a block from Chapel Avenue. And, across his backyard, branch after branch, a common theme throughout his neighborhood and others, on the west side of town following Saturday night’s thunderstorm. One that appeared to hit their area worse than anywhere else.

“Stuff was flying all over the neighborhood. All you could hear was, in our backyard, was trees cracking and crashing to the ground,” Iuvara explained. “We were lucky that it fell the way it did. If it had been the other way, it would’ve fell directly into the bedroom and that’s where we’re sleeping.”

“The wind was coming down in all different directions. It was like a mini-cyclone. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Annette Campbell stated.

Thunderstorm in Cherry Hill, N.J. creates much damage.

The aftermath quickly made it a busy night for Cherry Hill police. They shut down several roads overnight through the morning because of downed trees and wires.

But, the cleanup quickly became a team effort.

Neighbors helping neighbors.

Thunderstorm in Cherry Hill, N.J. creates much damage.

“We were very lucky,” Campbell added.

Even clearing out the main road and drains, not in front of their own homes. A long morning of work, but one they say could be so much worse.

“God just blessed us that nothing fell through the house and hurt anybody,” Iuvara said.