Gloucester County Among South Jersey Towns Whacked Hard By Tuesday Thunderstorms
By David Madden
GIBBSTOWN, N.J. (CBS) -- Several towns in Gloucester County, NJ were particularly hard hit by Tuesday evening's storms.
The main drag through Gibbstown wasn't too bad: just the occasional tree or tree limb down.
But on the side streets, it was a different story this morning.
----
Lauren Henderson and her daughter live along Rambo Drive, and she saw a funnel cloud.
"It looked like it was about to be a tornado," she told KYW Newsradio this morning. "The clouds were swirling really fast and it looked like it was getting low to the ground."
----
Meteorologists will make the final determination of whether a twister actually touched down in Gibbstown. Awnings on the façade of the local shopping center were torn away by the high winds and rain (top photo), as were a number of roofs -- including one over a convent. The three nuns inside were safely relocated.
Locals say they are grateful no one was seriously hurt, but the cleanup is going to take a while.
Meanwhile, Gloucester County has declared a county-wide State of Emergency. No rules or restrictions have been imposed at this time, but officials in the area are warning residents to use caution since there are trees and power lines down. Residents in Washington Township should use 856-863-4020 to report downed trees on the streets and to stay off the roads until the area is cleaned up.