Tornado in Virginia fatal to 2 at RV camp

An overturned tractor trailer faces southbound along the U.S. Route 13 median in Northampton County, Thursday, July 24, 2014, near Cheriton, Va., after a severe storm swept through the area. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Vicki Cronis-Nohe)  MAGS OUT
An overturned tractor trailer faces southbound along the U.S. Route 13 median in Northampton County, Thursday, July 24, 2014, near Cheriton, Va., after a severe storm swept through the area. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Vicki Cronis-Nohe) MAGS OUT

CAPE CHARLES, Va. -- The sky turned black and cellphones pinged with emergency messages. Moments later, a tornado ripped through a sprawling, carnival-like campground Thursday, snapping dozens of trees and flipping over RVs.

A tree fell on a New Jersey couple's tent, killing them, while their 13-year-old son in a tent next to them suffered life-threatening injuries.

About three dozen other people were hurt, some with cuts or broken bones and others with more serious injuries, Virginia State Police spokesman Corinne Geller said.

"All hell broke loose," said Joe Colony, who has been going to Cherrystone Family Camping & RV Resort campground along the Chesapeake Bay for 30 years. "We got an emergency message on a cellphone and within 30 seconds, the thing hit and it blew down 40, 50 trees in the park."

About 1,300 people were at the campground, readying for a summer day of swimming pools, mini-golf, pier fishing and other activities at the 300-acre resort in rural Northampton County.

The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for the area about 8 a.m. CDT Thursday and later confirmed a twister had hit.

Joe Micucci said he and his wife couldn't escape in their car because hail was the size of softballs. The couple rode out the storm in their camper.

"We saw at least five [campers] that were flipped over. One was completely gone and only had its wheels left," said Micucci, of Washington Township, N.J.

Across the country in Spokane, Wash., severe thunderstorms knocked out power to more than 60,000 customers and damaged dozens of homes Wednesday.

One driver suffered life-threatening injuries when a tree slammed onto his car, impaling him.

Severe thunderstorms were forecast for the northern Plains on Thursday and could threaten the Deep South and mid-Atlantic.

In Virginia, Lord Balatbat and Lolabeth Ortega of Jersey City, N.J., were killed, Geller said.

Eastville volunteer firefighter Brittney Eder said she left the campground before the full force of the storm hit.

"It came in real quick," she said. "The sky turned jet black."

Micucci and others were evacuated from the campground to a nearby high school. He said he wasn't sure when he would be able to go back and survey the damage.

Peter Glagola, spokesman for Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, said the hospital was treating more than two dozen patients as of Thursday afternoon, most of which were in fair condition.

Glagola said more patients were expected to be taken to the hospital, which is about 30 minutes north of the campground.

One patient in critical condition was flown to VCU Medical Center in Richmond, he said.

Hospitals in Virginia Beach and Norfolk had been preparing for mass casualties but had received just three patients, one of whom was taken to a nearby children's hospital, Sentara Healthcare spokesman Dale Gauding said.

Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer 3rd Class David Weydert said crews also were responding to reports of boats overturned in the water in the area.

Good Samaritans pulled at least three people from the water, he said, though their conditions were unknown.

A Section on 07/25/2014

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