Tornado that killed man in Wilson County registered as EF-3 strength with 140 mph wind

LUCAMA, N.C. -- Debby spawned several tornadoes and caused major flooding across North Carolina on Thursday.

A National Weather Service survey crew determined the tornado that killed a man in Wilson County was an EF-3 strength. That means that tornado had winds of 140 miles per hour.

A more detailed report is expected soon.

The National Weather Service also confirmed that the tornado that tore through Sampson County on Wednesdaywas an EF-2 strength. The survey crew said winds reached an estimated 115 miles per hour and traveled 4.6 yards.

That tornado was one of at least six that happened across North Carolina when Debby pushed through the region.

Wednesday

• Harrells, NC (Sampson County) 2:03 p.m.

Thursday

• Lucama (Wilson County) 2:17 a.m.
• Spring Hope (Franklin County) 8:13 a.m.
• Kittrell (Franklin County into Vance County) 3:45 p.m.
• Bunn to Louisburg (Franklin County) 4 p.m.
• Epsom (Franklin County to southern Vance County) 6:56 p.m.

Tornado warnings continued to be issued throughout North Carolina and Virginia into the night Thursday. The storm, which entered North Carolina as a tropical storm, weakened into a tropical depression, is continuing in its path toward the north.

Governor Roy Cooper, alongside other state leaders, held a news conference Friday at 11 a.m. to talk about the state's storm recovery response.

During the conference, Cooper acknowledged the confirmed death from the storm in Lucama and a second reported death from Rockingham County.

"We are thinking about them and their families," he said. "I was there in Wilson County yesterday and a number of people who knew the gentleman who lost his life. And that's a tough time for people for sure."

Tornadoes across NC communities

It only took 15 seconds for a tornado to devastate Genesis Cooper's home in Lucama, which is about 40 miles east of Raleigh. He almost slept through it -- if not for an alert on his wife's phone.

He, his wife and their 20-year-old son huddled in a bathroom with blankets. They felt vibrations and heard glass shattering before hearing a sudden boom.

"I can't even describe it. It's like, suction, that's what it felt like," Cooper said. "Like something is squeezing, like your ears are popping."

RELATED | 2 tornadoes cause damage along Vance, Franklin county lines: 'I thought I was going to die'

The tornado was one of at least three reported overnight in the Tar Heel state, and perhaps the most devastating.

WATCH | Aftermath of Debby: Tornado destroys Wilson County home

ABC11's Jamiese Price shows the damage after a tornado destroyed a home in Lucama.

In Wilson County, a man was found dead in a home after a tornado in the same area. The two-story home was one of at least 10 homes damaged by the tornado overnight.

"It was scary. It was, you know, the unknown...you can't see. You have no windows. You can't see...And it was just a time for prayer," Evelyn Scott said.

Springfield Middle School in Lucama was also completely destroyed by a tornado.

Drone footage showed portions of the school's roof ripped off, exposing rafters and ductwork. A section of wall had crumbled onto the soggy green lawn, which was strewn with twisted pieces of metal roof and shredded insulation.

WATCH | Day after deadly tornado in the Lucama community

Emergency crews are still assessing damage from Debby across North Carolina. Wilson County was hit especially hard, including the storm-related death of a man many adored.

Flooding

Communities across central North Carolina are recovering from the intense flooding.

Crabtree Creek, known for having high waters after heavy rain, flooded over Thursday into the grass and road. The flooding has improved Friday morning, and people can now walk the trail.

WATCH | Communities across NC experience intense flooding from Debby

Crabtree Creek, known for having high waters after heavy rain, flooded over Thursday into the grass and road.

Residents in the Northwood Community in Raeford were left stranded after water rose to their driveways, covering the main road. ABC11 spoke to one resident who said his friend underestimated the depth of the water before his car became stuck about two feet of water.

A dam north of Fayetteville broke Thursday morning as Debby drenched the area. Between 12 and 15 homes were evacuated, but no one was injured and no structures were damaged.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said at a briefing Thursday that the state had activated more National Guard troops and added additional vehicles that can rescue people in floods.

Thousands across central NC also remain without power Friday morning.

Debby heads to northeast

The Mid-Atlantic states and parts of New York and New England will see significant rainfall that could cause dangerous flooding into the weekend, such as on parts of Interstate 95 near bigger cities, said Jon Porter, Accuweather's chief meteorologist. From eastern Virginia up to Vermont there may be an active stretch of tornadoes on Friday, he said.

"There will be multiple threats in Debby's final chapter, and it's a dangerous one," he said.

The weather service said that parts of Maryland, upstate New York and Vermont could get similar rainfall totals by the weekend's end.

A tornado watch is in effect for over 17 million people in parts of Washington, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia on Friday. However, the tornado watch issued for our ABC11's viewing area until 7 a.m. has been canceled.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.