(Dry Fork) — The remnants of Hurricane Helene spawned a tornado this weekend in Pittsylvania County, causing localized damage and one injury.
The National Weather Service confirms an EF-2 tornado touched down three miles west southwest of Dry Fork just after 2:30 Friday afternoon. It stayed on the ground for 18 minutes, leaving a path of destruction 225 yards wide. It lifted nearly seven miles later, about six miles west of Chatham. Meteorologists say the storm packed winds of 118 miles per hour.
A weekend assessment showed 30 structures were damaged, including one mobile home that was completely destroyed. Dozens of trees were snapped and uprooted.
Local volunteers say a woman who lived in the destroyed mobile home was injured and was taken to SOVAH-Danville. Dry Fork Road and W.I. Powell Road were closed for more than 24 hours as crews worked to restore electricity and assess damage.
Pittsylvania County Emergency Services Coordinator Chris Key also reports a house on Irish Road was destroyed in the twister.
NWS Assessors also confirmed a tornado Friday in Bedford County. That was an EF-one storm. No one was hurt.
Damage was more widespread in southwest Virginia. Gov. Youngkin confirmed one person was killed in a storm-related tree fall and building collapse in Craig County, northwest of Roanoke.
Appalachian Power reports Helene caused significant damage to its system. 282,000 AEP customers were without power at the peak of the storm.
In the meantime, God’s Pit Crew has been busy responding in their backyard and far from home. The local disaster relief group sent several volunteers to help with clearing trees that fell in the tornado that hit in Dry Fork.
They’re also sending help to Florida to Georgia — two states that took a direct hit from Hurricane Helene when it made landfall Thursday as a Category 4 storm.
God’s Pit Crew’s Immediate Disaster Response team will leave Monday for Valdosta, Georgia. Semi-trucks and haulers equipped with dehumidifiers, generators, chainsaws, tarps and other equipment will assist with cleanup efforts. Volunteers will remove mud, wet carpet and furniture, and wet drywall from homes – and help with damaged tree and debris removal. They plan to spend two weeks in the area.
It was less than a year ago when the Crew visited Valdosta to help with Hurricane Idalia relief efforts. Helene is the third storm to strike Valdosta in just over a year. Hurricane Debby left thousands without power last month.
God’s Pit Crew has also sent a semi-load of relief supplies including Blessing Buckets and bottled water to Madison, Mayo, Ocala, and Naples, Florida. Closer to home, the Crew will also send a small team to Galax on Monday as well.
Meantime, another local group is trying to lend a helping hand in western North Carolina areas hit hard by the storm.
Gretna-based “Campers Care” wants to purchase a beautiful travel trailer complete with a generator and other items to help out in Asheville. Chappie Brown and Gretna Drug have pledged the first $2000 towards the purchase. They now need nine-thousand dollars to buy it.
You can go to their website www.CampersCare.org where there is a special secure link to donate towards this travel trailer. It will give one family a home for many weeks, months, and maybe years to come while their house is being repaired.
This will be the fifth time Campers Care has provided a temporary home for people after disasters. The most recent effort was last month in Palmyra, Virginia.