HEBER-OVERGAARD, AZ (AZFamily) — Crews are assessing damage in a northeastern Arizona community after a possible tornado ripped through Wednesday evening, toppling utility poles and causing severe damage.
According to State Rep. Walt Blackman, the storm caused “considerable damage” in the Heber-Overgaard area. At least one person was injured.
Power is out in the area, but it’s unclear how many Navopache Electric Cooperative customers are affected. The company said it did not have an estimate of when power would be restored.
Betty Nixon, who has lived in Heber for eight years, said the severe storm hit around 7 p.m.
“I was in the kitchen and I just heard the noises outside weren’t normal. The wind, the house started getting pelted with debris,” she said. “I ended up on the ground with the dogs and I was just afraid the windows were going to break. It sounded like a tornado.”
She said a large part of her neighbor’s tree had fallen into her yard and another neighbor’s windows were reportedly broken.
The sudden, intense storm only lasted about 30 to 45 seconds, Nixon said.
“I had no warning,” she said. “It was just this horrible sound of wind and flying debris crashing into the house. And that was my first warning.”
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning at 7:03 p.m. for Aripine and Heber-Overgaard, just as the storm moved through the area.
The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office said it was responding to a major incident in the Overgaard area and people should avoid two areas:
- State Route 260 between Mogollon and Overgaard Airpark
- Areas north of State Route 377 extending toward Tonto
Blackman said he wants Gov. Katie Hobbs to declare a state of emergency in the area.
“Our immediate priorities must be to protect lives, restore power service, ensure public safety and provide assistance to families whose homes and property have been damaged,” he said.
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