New York town 'ravaged' from EF-2 tornado as deadly severe storms rake Northeast

03:50

Rome, New York devastated by likely tornado

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the storm damages in the historic town of Rome are the worst in the city's history. FOX Weather Correspondent Nicole Valdes reports on the damages and the recovery efforts in New York. 

ROME, N.Y. – At least one person has died as severe storms swept across the Northeast Tuesday, bringing hurricane-force wind gusts and widespread damage from tornadoes.

Storms wreaked havoc across several states, including New York, where a state of emergency was declared due to the extensive thunderstorm and tornado damage. 

In Canastota, an 82-year-old man was found dead following severe thunderstorms that left that village and the city of Oneida with heavy damage, Madison County officials said. He was checking on his antique car when he was killed. 

Tornado damage in Rome, NY on July 16, 2024. 

(Joel Hart via Facebook / FOX Weather)

Photos taken around Rome, New York, show roofs ripped from buildings around town, with numerous toppled trees and power lines. More than a dozen buildings collapsed partially, while others sustained heavy damage that scattered debris down busy city streets. 

Witnesses reported the Saint Mary's church steeple was destroyed, and roofs were stripped from both Presbyterian and Catholic churches along James Street and a nearby grocery store.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said the town looked like "a war zone" after the deadly storms. 

Tornado damage in Rome, NY on July 16, 2024. 

(Joel Hart via Facebook / FOX Weather)

"This is the worst disaster to hit the city in its 228-year history," Hochul said from Rome after seeing the damage from above. "The storm ravaged this city."

One RV was spotted tipped on its side. A family, including a toddler, living inside the RV at the time had to run for shelter, according to Hochul.  

Tornado damage in Rome, NY on July 16, 2024. 

(Joel Hart via Facebook / FOX Weather)

Patients and staff were inside the Kabari Wellness Center in Rome when the tornado hit. Manager Kimberley Smith said the staff had "no time to react" when the winds picked up and the windows were blown out. 

Dr. Kabari was with a patient when he received the Tornado Warning alert on his phone.  

"I grabbed my phone to check what the alert was. As soon as I grabbed my phone, the whole building started shaking," he said.

The whole front of the wellness center building and the roof were destroyed, Smith said. 

04:37

New York wellness center takes direct hit from tornado

General Manager Kimberley Smith and Dr. Kabari were at Kabari Wellness Center in Rome, New York when a tornado blew out the windows and caused massive damages. "None of us had time to react," Smith said. 

B-52 bomber tipped over in storm

Oneida County declared a state of emergency and ordered residents to stay off the roads unless travel was necessary.

Gusts reached 79 mph at nearby Griffiss Air Force Base as the line of thunderstorms swept through. Hochul said the winds were strong enough to tip a B-52 bomber plane weighing more than 180,000 pounds onto its side. 

The National Weather Service conducted an initial survey and gave it a rating of at least EF-2 with winds of 135 mph.

So far, there have been no reports of any injuries in Rome.

Other gusts in New York reached 87 mph in Glens Falls, 73 mph in Edinburg and 69 mph in Queensbury. 

Dozens of damaging wind reports also came from areas of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Vermont and New Hampshire. At the storm's peak about 300,000 customers were without power in New York and Pennsylvania. By Wednesday about 120,000 were without power. 

"This is an urgent situation. It’s hot. People need their power," Hochul said.

Parts of New York were recently included in heat advisories along the Northeast, amid the region's third heat wave of the summer. The heat is expected to peak on Wednesday, and cooler air moving in will bring some relief. 

Severe Thunderstorm Watches were posted for a large area of the Northeast Tuesday and were once again posted on Wednesday.