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Straight line winds are believed to be the source of significant storm damage across Halifax County early this morning, officials say.

That damage includes a house in the Medoc area which was knocked off its foundation as well the damage of a house behind it.

Halifax County Emergency Management Coordinator Buddy Wrenn said a house was damaged in the Darlington area and trees were blown down in the Southgate area of Roanoke Rapids near Pope Funeral Home.

“There’s nothing to indicate a tornado,” Wrenn said this morning. “It looks more like straight line winds.”

Trees damaged were not twisted and Wrenn said it appeared the storm took a west to east track.

At the time of the storm around 2:30 this morning forecasters were predicting winds up to 60 miles per hour. “I think it had to be more than that to push the house (off its foundation).”

Enfield Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ronnie Locke said firefighters responded to the Medoc area shortly before 2:30 this morning.  “Winds came down and took out two to three big trees and blew them over.”

The storm blew a metal shed on its side at the Medoc location off Highway 48 and caused a large storage building to land on top of a car before knocking the house of Brian Richardson and his mother off its foundation.

The storm tore part of the roof off the house of Geneva Hardy. The Hardy house is directly behind the Richardson house and it was the Hardy’s metal shed which was blown away.

Locke said the Richardsons had made it safely out of the house before firefighters arrived. Deputies of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office were at the scene upon the arrival of firefighters.

Richardson said he awoke this morning to the whoosh and roar of heavy winds. Then there was the sound of breaking glass. “It flipped me over in my bed.”

After getting up he checked on his mother who was OK.

Three vehicles in the backyard belonging to Richardson were damaged, including the one in which the storage building fell over. Another vehicle in the front yard was damaged.

Across the highway was a debris field which included scattered trash cans and limbs moved by the storm.

Richardson has lived in the house for at least 27 years and said it has survived other storms. He said he and has mother have people with whom they can stay.

Behind the Richardson house Denene Hardy was checking on her mother, Geneva, and other family members. “Everybody’s fine. We’re thankful everyone is OK.”
Damien Hardy awoke first. “The roof was about to come off,” he said.

One gust of wind lifted the roof and another slammed it.

Marvin Hardy was there to check on his family. Although he lives 15 miles away he was touched his family thought of him during the ordeal. “It means a lot to me they called to check on me. You know they had me in their hearts.”

Wrenn said on Hedgepeth and Shelton roads in Darlington about two dozen trees were blown down by the storm. “One of the houses had damage to the back. There were trees down in the Southgate area around Pope Funeral Home.”

Wrenn said station 8 at Interstate 95 and the 168 exit had some exterior trim damage and the storm caused considerable power outages.