Residents in areas of Massachusetts received tornado warnings on their phones Thursday afternoon as severe storms moved through the state, dumping heavy rain, strong gusts, and felled trees.
While the storms caused anxiety in numerous places, officials reported minor damage and no injuries.
Residents in Worcester County, where tornado warnings had been issued, watched as gloomy clouds unloaded torrential downpours and violent gusts.
In Rutland, a big tree fell on Campbell Street, taking down power lines and closing the road for many hours.
“There was a slight breeze, and then we heard a loud crack while sitting in the living room,” recalled Rutland resident Joanne Stevens. “We saw the tree come down over the wires, and my neighbor said she saw sparks because she was closing her windows as it was just starting to rain.”
Utility crews and public works employees responded to clear the highway and repair the downed power wires. The event left some surrounding neighbors without power.
Despite the devastation, Stevens believes the outcome could have been far worse.
“Well, I think the wires saved us,” she explained. “There are some pretty tall trees across the street.”
The fell tree nearly missed surrounding residences, and there were no injuries recorded.
Storm-related damage was recorded in numerous other communities, including Worcester, Quincy, Brighton, and Boston’s South End, where strong winds pulled down trees.
Fortunately, officials stated that no injuries were recorded in any of the occurrences.
“We generally have a lot of traffic coming up and down this road, and people walk their dogs here all the time,” Stevens stated. “Nobody was around when this actually happened, which is very, very good because it’s a busy street.”
The storms reminded citizens to be weather-aware during severe weather events. When tornado warnings are issued, emergency personnel recommend seeking shelter immediately and avoiding falling trees and electrical lines after the storm.
Meteorologists are still assessing the storm’s impact, but early assessments suggest the damage was moderate given the strength of the weather system.
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