Multiple people were trapped in homes in Pickens County, South Carolina, after tornado warnings were issued Wednesday night.
Billy Gibson, director of Pickens County emergency medical services, told FOX Carolina that 12 homes were damaged and power lines downed. Local EMS has advised the public to stay away from the area.
“We have checked the area on foot, we’re now on our secondary search to make sure we didn’t miss any homes that may have been impacted or may have had folks trapped,” Gibson said.
Calls to emergency services started coming in around 9:30 p.m. concerning downed trees and people trapped in mobile homes.
At least five households were displaced, but most confirmed they were staying with family nearby.
A funnel cloud was seen in nearby Abbeville County, according to local reports.
Volunteer firefighters and other emergency service workers search the area in Pickens County. WHNS
Emergency services responds to severe damage after tornado warnings in South Carolina. WSPA
Trees and power lines were downed in the area. WHNSThe tornado warnings came only one day after devastating twisters killed one person in New Orleans and caused damage across the area.
Just days earlier, the same storm pattern swept through Texas, damaging homes and schools in the town of Jacksboro and terrifying Walmart shoppers in Round Rock on the outskirts of Austin.
