A powerful tornado that touched down about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday near Rocky Mount left 16 people injured, shut down Interstate 95 and damaged buildings, including a major pharmaceutical plant.
National Weather Service officials confirmed the tornado was an EF3, indicating there were winds of up to 150 mph.
The American Red Cross has opened two shelters in Nash County.
The tornado tore across I-95 about six miles north of downtown Rocky Mount about 10 minutes after touching down. Photos and video from Nash County showed homes and businesses damaged, trees snapped and powerlines down.
"A reported tornado moved through the northern part of the city a short time ago," Rocky Mount officials said just after the storm hit.
Crews in the city were working Wednesday evening to clear downed trees and get the power back on, officials said. The city warned residents "to avoid areas north of Thomas A. Betts Parkway and the Battleboro vicinity."
According to the National Weather Service storm survey, 16 people were hurt, with two sustaining life-threatening injuries.
Two of those injured were in the Great Glenn area in Belmont Lake Preserve, where Rocky Mount city officials say 12 homes were damaged. Several gas leaks were also reported.
After moving over I-95 into Dorches, the tornado hit a neighborhood that held single-wide homes, NWS officials report. EF-2 damage was discovered in the area.
"Multiple single-wide homes were completely destroyed and removed 20-30 yards from their foundation," the NWS survey states.
The tornado then continued on a east-northeast path, snapping power poles and ripping across NC-48. That's when the tornado moved toward the Belmont Lake Golf Club, where NWS officials say it strengthened to an EF-3 with 140-150 mph winds.
Rocky Mount city officials say 15 golfers on the golf course were accounted for.
Rocky Mount straddles Edgecombe and Nash counties in eastern North Carolina.
The tornado shut down parts of I-95 near Rocky Mount for several hours Wednesday, but the roadway reopened in both directions at about 3:30 p.m.
The storm also struck a Pfizer facility where the company manufactures medications. The Nash County sheriff said "many, many pallets" of medicine were destroyed.
About 100 vehicles and 75 hauling trucks on the Pfizer plant property were damaged, officials said.
Erin Fox, senior pharmacy director at University of Utah Health, told The Associated Press that the damage “will likely lead to long-term shortages while Pfizer works to either move production to other sites or rebuilds.”
According to a Duke Energy official, 22 power poles were shattered and required heavy machinery to replace. About 3,200 people lost power Wednesday afternoon, Rocky Mount city officials say.
Shelter information
People who need assistance after the storm can go to one of two Red Cross shelters in the Rocky Mount area:
Red Oak Baptist Church
5515 Red Oak Rd, Red Oak, NC 27868
City of Rocky Mount Senior Center 427 S Church St, Rocky Mount, NC 27804
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these storms, as we continue to provide support to those who need it,” said Allison Taylor, with American Red Cross North Carolina. “Our teams in North Carolina are coordinating closely with partners and our volunteers are ready to provide aid, as needed.”