OROVILLE, Calif. — While most people dealt with rain and flooding, the National Weather Service said an EF-1 tornado touched down in Oroville.
It happened around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday. And, the tornado damaged several carports and ripped shingles off roofs, even snapping tree limbs and uprooting trees.
"Sounded like a train coming straight through here,” said Matthew Jamison, who lives with his family at the Highlands apartment complex.
It was sound felt by many that apartment complex along Cherokee Road.
“Shocking just to have something like that big go over so quick and easy,” said Jamison.
The uprooted trees crashed down on carports, but no cars were parked underneath.
“It's fairly close as I have seen, close as I ever want to be,” said Jamison.
NWS officials said the tornado traveled less than a half mile and was 90 yards wide with maximum winds of 90 miles per hour.
The tornado touched down for a total of two minutes in the area of La Palma Drive and Table Mountain Boulevard before it disappeared.
“I just heard a boom. I didn't know what it was though. That boom was this big old tree right here. This tree is about 30-40 feet. If it hit the house or if someone was standing right here, it would have been a mess,” said Donnell Allen, who lives at the apartment.
Many in North Oroville are grateful the damage wasn't worse.
“It just makes you count your blessings sometimes, because like little stuff like a natural disaster, it can happen to you at any time,” said Allen.
Officials said video evidence from the apartment complex confirmed a tornado touched down.
Crews removed some of the debris, but the cleanup continues.
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