Bertie County - Donations are pouring in to Bertie County from all around the community, the state and the country. The victims and County are grateful for all the wonderful support but there are still several donation item needed.
County officials say the following items are needed the most at this tiime.
Trash Bags
Containers for Personal Effects (plastic totes or cardboard containers, etc.)
Tarps
Rakes
Shovels
First Aid Supplies
Hand sanitizer
Diapers
Baby Wipes
Baby Formula & Food
Feminine Hygiene Products
Pillows and Pillow Cases
Personal Hygiene items (razors, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, etc.)
Bug Spray
Paper Plates
Plastic Cups
Plastic Silverware
Pet Food
Paper Towels
Can drinks
Sunscreen
Donations are being accepted at Colerain Baptist Church, 202 North Main Street, Colerain, NC 27924 and Askewville Assembly of God, 105 Askewville Bryant Street, Askewville. Large donations should be forwarded to Colerain Baptist Church to be inventoried and distributed to all distribution locations.
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BERTIE COUNTY, N.C. -- This afternoon in Bertie County they are mourning the loss of a twelfth person killed as a result of the tornadoes that swept through the area on Saturday. A woman who had been in critical condition at Pitt Memorial Hospital has passed away. Mary Williams was 50-years-old. She was injured when the tornado came through a convalescent home on Morris Ford Road. She is the third person from that facility to pass away. Her death brings the state toll to 24, and there are still several people in critical conditions at hospitals throughout tornado ravaged parts of the state.
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BERTIE COUNTY, NC - In Colerain steps that used to lead to Grandma's house now don't lead to much of anything. Ninety years of history is strewn across a field.
“I heard they were in the trees with all that mess back there. I just can't. I just can't imagine,” said Bob Travis.
No one in the family can. To them it's all surreal.
“I feel like I'm in a movie... That you know stuff like this doesn't happen. In reality it does,” said Christy White.
Grandma Helen White turned 90 in March. An old photo album near her front steps shows family memories. Because of how far debris is scattered they may not be their own. Grandma lived next door to her daughter Barbara Lafferty and her son-in-law Roy Lafferty. All three died in the storm. Their brick house is now pushed into the woods, shattered into pieces. Only a foundation remains.
“I guess they were all in that house together when it went,” said Travis.
“We were trying to prepare with Grandma's age and all but nothing could... You just can't imagine how-how you feel when you find out you've lost three family members... All at the same time,” said White.
We were there when Senator Kay Hagan toured damaged parts of Colerain and met with this family. The visit brought White to tears. Later we asked Hagan about the experience.
“To talk to people who have lost family members in a house that's just no longer there is just... You know once again my heart goes out, my prayers go out to these family members,” said Senator Hagan.
So far no funerals have been planned for any of the 11 people killed here in Bertie County. The family says they have not yet been able to see the bodies of their loved ones.
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BERTIE COUNTY, N.C. – Senator Kay Hagan is expected to be in Bertie County on Monday to tour the damage from Saturday’s deadly storm.
A spokesperson for the Senator says she will be in Colerain at 12:05 p.m. to tour the neighborhood and visit the operations center. She’s expected to be in the county for about three hours.
Following her tour of Bertie County, Sen. Hagan will be in Wake Forest at 3:45 p.m. where she will visit a shelter.
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BERTIE COUNTY, NC – Assessment teams hope to get a better idea of how bad the damage from Saturday’s storm is as they continue to survey the area on Monday.
On Sunday, crews were out, including the county tax office that did a preliminary assessment. More crews will be out on Monday.
Rep. G.K. Butterfield was also in the area on Sunday to see the extent of the damage for himself.
The National Weather Service confirmed that two tornadoes were on the ground in Bertie County. An assessment team determined that the Bertie County tornado became two. According to their reports, the two tornadoes were on the ground simultaneously for five miles. At least 11 people are dead in Bertie County as a result of the tornadoes.
SCHOOLS UPDATE: Bertie County schools will be closed for students on Monday April, 18th due to the storm damage. It will be an optional teacher workday.
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Bertie County, NC - The National Weather Service has confirmed that two tornadoes were on the ground in Bertie County. An assessment team determined that the Bertie County tornado became two. According to their reports, the two tornadoes were on the ground simultaneously for five miles. At least 11 people are dead in Bertie County as a result of the tornadoes.
SCHOOLS UPDATE: Bertie County schools will be closed for students on Monday April, 18th due to the storm damage. It will be an optional teacher workday.
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BERTIE COUNTY, NC - In Bertie County they're still not sure if it was one, big tornado or two very destructive ones. Either way it left its mark with a trail of destruction and at least 11 deaths. We were part of an exclusive tour with the sheriff, local commissioners, and several representatives.
Words cannot describe the things we saw in Bertie County. Their homes, what's left of them, show you better than we could ever tell you how badly the people here have been affected. Though in their own words, they try.
“It happened so fast you just don't really know. I just fell down on the floor, felt the trailer when it shook and then everything got like in there when the top went off of it,” said tornado survivor Paul Jernigan.
From Askewville to Colerain the devastation spread with one harrowing story after another.
“Soon as we closed the door, we just got thrown and we was thrown in the air, and we was flipped into the car,” said tornado survivor Taniya Howard.
She and her mom survived, but not every member of their family was as lucky. An older cousin just down the road was killed. Another relative describes finding his body.
“We walked down there and seen the body, seen him laying face down on his face,” Rebecca Perry said of her cousin.
Congressman G-K Butterfield listened to their stories of survival.
“This is worse than anyone's expectations. This is nothing but pure devastation,” said Rep. Butterfield.
Bruised but not broken, we came across a church left barely standing. We had passed many like it, but there was something very different about this one. They were holding a service right outside. With so much to be thankful for, the people there say not even a tornado could keep them from giving thanks.
With all that destruction the Red Cross expects less than 20 people to stay at the shelter they have set up there at Colerain Elementary. To prove just how tight knit the community is, even with all that destruction the Red Cross says there are a lot of neighbors opening up their homes.
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BERTIE COUNTY, N.C. – Nine on Your Side has learned that 11 people are confirmed dead in Bertie County after Saturday’s deadly storms.
A missing person was located, raising the death toll to 11 in Bertie County.Officials say the deaths occurred within an 8 to 10 mile radius.Several deaths were reported at an assisted living facility. There was a family of three killed.
Bertie County Manager Zee Lamb says there are people here who have been deployed to Iraq and say they've never seen anything like this. Homes are completely leveled. Four people with the county tax office are on the ground doing a preliminary assessment of property damage.Damage assessments will continue through Monday.
The Bertie County Sheriff, Representative Butterfield and a few commissioners met with members of the community at Greater Winds Baptist Church this afternoon.
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The Associated Press reports that Bertie County Manager Zee Lamb announced 10 deaths Sunday morning. Lamb also said that nine of the 10 dead have been identified but ages and names have no been released at this time. Officials also say one person is still missing.
A tornado tore through Bertie County on Saturday around 7:00 p.m.
So far, the statewide death toll is now at 14 deaths, with 35 deaths overall.
Nine on Your Side has a crew heading to the scene. We will bring you updates as soon as we get them.
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