The U.S. National Weather Service called it the “largest tornado” to hit the area since 1983. It ripped the roofs off commercial buildings in the Montebello Industrial Park and sent wreckage skyward, according to reports. Images of the shocking scene circulated on social media.
The Met Office said the EF-1 tornado generated winds of up to 180 kilometers per hour and damaged 17 buildings, 11 of which sustained significant damage. “It’s definitely not something you commonly see in the area,” said meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld.
One person was injured and taken to a local hospital, a Montebello official said, according to the New York Post. The weather service also sent damage assessment teams to Santa Barbara County. They reported that a tornado hit a trailer park in the town of Carpinteria. Gusts of wind reached speeds of 130 kilometers per hour and damaged around 25 homes.
“I’ve lived in California since 1965. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Michael Turner, owner of a warehouse south of downtown Montebello. “We’re used to earthquakes. It was really loud. Things were flying all over the place.”
“The whole warehouse turned into a big trash can in a minute. Then when the dust settled it was just a mess,” he added.
In recent weeks, California has faced natural disasters including heavy rain, wind and snow. Five people died in the latest storm in the San Francisco area this week. An on-duty city police officer was also seriously injured when a tree fell on him during a storm in San Francisco, the police department said. According to footage from KPIX TV, strong winds in the area even threw a sofa from a high balcony onto the street.
