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One killed after tornado strikes Delaware; severe weather slams Northeast

Tornado Warnings issued in multiple New Jersey counties
Tornado Warnings issued in multiple New Jersey counties 03:52

At least one person was killed when a tornado struck Delaware Saturday evening, officials said, part of a massive storm system which had already produced several deadly tornadoes in the Midwest and South on Friday before taking aim at the Northeast. Tens of thousands of customers were also without power.

The weather-related fatality occurred when a suspected tornado caused a structure to collapse near the Delaware town of Greenwood, the Sussex County government reported. Sussex County also posted cell phone video of a funnel cloud moving through the area at about 6 p.m. local time. 

Greenwood is located about 25 miles south of Dover.

Bethany DeBussy, a town manager for nearby Bridgeville, Delaware, told CBS News in an email that there were multiple reports of vehicle accidents and entrapments, downed power lines and gas leaks. DeBussy could not confirm if there were any injuries.

One killed after tornado strikes Delaware, as severe weather slams Northeast
Storm damage in Bridgeville, Delaware, after a suspected tornado hit the area. April 1, 2023.  Ineishia Corbett

The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch Saturday evening for parts of New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, including New York City.

In total, at least 26 deaths have been blamed on the massive storm system, which caused multiple tornadoes in the Midwest and South on Friday before turning its attention to the Northeast on Saturday. The deaths were reported across eight states, according to the latest numbers compiled Saturday by CBS News, including Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, Indiana, Alabama, Ohio and Mississippi.

During a heavy metal concert Friday night, a theater roof collapsed during a tornado in Belvidere, Illinois, killing a 50-year-old man and injuring about 40 others.

Earlier in the day Friday, President Biden toured the damage from a tornado last week which left at least 21 people dead in Mississippi. 

As of Saturday night, more than 201,000 customers in Pennsylvania were without power, according to utility tracker PowerOutage.us. More than 109,000 were without power in Ohio, along with another 94,000 in Virginia, 51,000 in West Virginia and 46,000 in North Carolina.   

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