NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- Clean-up is underway across the city of Newburgh after a severe weather outbreak and an EF-0 tornado came through the area. 

Leonard Abate was home when the storm hit. His landscaping work was outdone by Mother Nature's wrath.

"A big loud sound, a crashing sound. The lightning hit the tree and fell. It was just a crack," said Abate. "I just had the front lawns and everything else done for Mother's Day, and now I have to re-do it."

The tree was one of two old oak trees on the property. He says it just barely missed the house. 

"There's a stake that went right into the roof as if it was a spear," said Abate.  

Maura Palomino, who lives just off of 84 and Rt. 9 in Newburgh, said she moved her family to the basement once she heard the wind and rain. 

"Seconds," Palomino said in Spanish. "It didn't give time for anything, not even to say, 'oh, look at what's happening.' " 

Trees fell around her home damaging her fence and her car. And like thousands across the region, she and her family are in the dark. 

"We don't have electricity; well, we don't have anything," said Palomino. "We are without power, unable to cook because my house is electric." 

Newburgh City Mayor Torrance Harvey says that the storm caused "significant, structural damage to the electric infrastructure." 

He's been surveying the damage since just after the storm hit. A state of emergency is still in effect in the city and the county. 

"We're trying to keep traffic to a minimum on our roadways, so that our crews can go out there and clean up the streets and get them all cleared out," said Harvey. 

Harvey also shared what he knew about the 11-year-old girl killed during the storm. 

"The police are still investigating that the young girl was in the car," explained Harvey. "Mom and the young girl came home from grocery shopping, and mom went to bring some of the groceries in, and a tree fell on the car."

Another fatality was reported just outside of the city in the Town of Newburgh. Harvey says that he sends condolences to the families and is thankful there weren't more casualties from what he calls the most devastation he's seen in years.

As for those cleaning up property damage, they're taking it all in stride.

"We can't do anything against nature," said Palomino. 

And they're wondering how much it all will cost.

"No idea, no idea," said Abate. "He'll come with a fair price, otherwise I'll scream."