'I can't explain it' | Family of 5 injured after EF-1 tornado tosses them around in home
CULPEPER COUNTY, Va. (7News) — Five people were injured after seeking shelter from an Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF) 1 tornado in a rural part of Culpeper County, Virginia late Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service's (NWS) Sterling, Va. Office.
The five were inside a large shed in the Rixeyville area that overturned due to a 95 mph tornado that touched down on the west side of Dunkard Church Road near Eggbornsville Road at 9:27 p.m., officials said.
Lawrence Johnson, a landscaper, his wife Brandy, and their three children -- a 10-year-old son, a 7-year-old daughter, and a 5-year-old daughter -- were in the home when it was tossed around.
"I looked at the window and saw the funnel forming overtop my cousin's house," said Johnson. "And we all ran for shelter and after that... in a blink of an eye we were in there flipping and it was gone."
"I can't explain it," said a shaken Johnson.
The tornado's path lasted roughly five miles and was about 100 yards wide, NWS said. Officials said the tornado ended at around 9:35 p.m. somewhere near the 9000 block of Monumental Mills Road, and no other injuries or fatalities were reported.
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The tornado passed by several homes and a church, but there were no reports of structural damage, according to NWS. A smaller shed was also overturned, officials said.
Over two dozen trees either snapped or were uprooted as the tornado traveled east-northeast, across Eggbornsville Road, along Settle School Road between Tolivers Forest Lane and Spring Hollow Road, and Dutch Hollow Road.
According to the Rappahannock Energy Company, roughly 4,000 customers were without power at one point due to the storms, though the number was reduced to 900 as of 7 p.m. Monday.
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