Tornado confirmed to hit Lairdsville
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The heavy structural and property damage in Lairdsville on Friday afternoon was caused by an EF-1 tornado that originated in Montour County, according to the National Weather Service in State College.
After reviewing additional damage photographs and radar imagery, forecasters at the service determined that the EF-1 tornado occurred last week. This is an update to the previous determination of straight-line winds.
The tornado is the first tornado in Montour County in nearly 24 years.
The tornado struck Lairdsville at 4:38 p.m. and traveled with wind speed of 85 to 90 miles per hour. It was over by 4:42 p.m. and cut a path 8.9 miles long and had a maximum wide path of 500 yards.
One individual was injured in the storm and there were no fatalities as a result.
Storm damage was high around the community, with numerous roofs ripped off, pieces of metal framing and roofing in tree tops and many trees cut in half or completely uprooted.
The damage resulted in power outages and East Lycoming School District's Carl G. Renn Elementary School to cancel classes that day.
Several individuals interviewed by the Sun-Gazette said they had to rebuild their homes and barns and waited for insurance adjusters to arrive to provide estimates of the losses.
Bob Ditzler of Funston Road, for example, said he would be staying with relatives because the house was so heavily damaged.
Vernon and Suzanne Temple sustained heavy damage to the barn at the western edge of the community along Route 118.