At least one person has died from the aftermath of a suspected tornado in Sussex County near Bridgeville and Greenwood on Saturday night, according to Delaware State Police. A department spokesperson said that the person was found inside a damaged home near Greenwood and that widespread damage has been reported throughout western Sussex County.
The storm is part of a major system moving across the United States. A meteorologist with the National Weather Service said they are focusing on “existing storm threats” and would not be able to officially confirm the tornado until later.
Severe thunderstorm warnings were in effect statewide until about 9:30 p.m., with wind speeds reaching up to 70 mph. The National Weather Service also issued a wind advisory until early Sunday morning.
Multiple homes damaged in Greenwood, Bridgeville, Newark
Hours after the death was initially reported, more than a dozen emergency vehicles remain on Tuckers Road in Greenwood. Multiple homes appeared to have been leveled there.
Delawareans living near Greenwood and Bridgeville reported seeing a tornado and extensive home damage, even flipping an irrigation system in a field. Huge pieces of debris have been blown off of houses, much of it landing in farm fields.
The damage narrowly missed the Perdue Feed Mill in Bridgeville, with the storm appearing to have crossed through empty cornfields to the north.
On Sugar Hill Road east of Route 13, tree trunks stood stripped of all their branches next to a house missing windows, shingles, shutters and siding. Some of the siding was hanging on a nearby powerline. Vehicles were damaged and one was overturned.
On nearby Fawn Road in Greenwood, an entire house was blown away in the storm, leaving nothing but the stoop. Trees were knocked down on surrounding properties, some of them torn out by the roots.
Houses have also been reportedly damaged by the storm in Newark. Although there have not been any confirmed tornadoes in New Castle County, the University of Delaware Police Department issued a tornado warning at around 6:40 p.m., instructing everyone on campus to move indoors and stay away from windows for safety.
The Newark Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Stay off the roads: Traffic alert issued in Delaware statewide
The Delaware Department of Transportation sent out a statewide traffic alert warning of dangerous driving conditions, including fallen trees, power lines and other debris on the roads. Some traffic lights are also off, and DelDOT said drivers should treat intersections without working signals as four way stops.
In Sussex County, Route 13 is closed north of Route 404. Residents are advised not to travel near Bridgeville and Greenwood as the storm continues.
This is a developing story.
