GLEN ROCK, Pa. — A second tornado was confirmed to have touched down in southern York County during a wave of severe weather on August 7.
According to the National Weather Service, an EF-1 tornado touched down in Black Rock, Manheim Township. The tornado first landed north of Church Street and moved its way toward Glenville Road, reaching speeds of 105 miles per hour.
York County Commissioners and Emergency Management crews were out on Friday, Aug. 18 to assess the damage of the storm.
"Pictures don’t do this justice," said Ron Smith, York County Commissioner. “There’s quite a bit of devastation here. To know that nature has that much force is amazing.”
Joseph Woods was home with his wife the night of the tornado. He said the tornado swept through his backyard, damaging parts of his house and knocking over several trees.
Woods told FOX43 that his barn was destroyed when the tornado picked up his neighbor's camper and launched it several hundred yards in the air.
“It was amazing to see the power and force of the storm that went through here, and what damage it did to my property and my neighbor’s property," said Woods. “It was bad, but my second reaction was, we’re alive.”
With York County authorizing an emergency declaration for last week’s storms, emergency crews are working to track the extent of the damage.
“The most important part is not only seeing the damage on the ground and on people’s homes, but also talking with them about what they experienced," said Cody Santiago, with the York County Office of Emergency Management.
County officials hope to get as much information as possible in order to help funnel state and federal money into the cleanup efforts.
“We’re going to do what we can as a county, see what that is, and do our part," said Smith.