| The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touched down Thursday evening in the Wood County community of
Lubeck.
The weather service said the tornado had winds between 125 and 150 miles per hour.
It is very unusual for tornadoes to do damage in West Virginia, although the NWS has issued numerous alerts on sightings in recent years.
The tornado cut a quarter-mile wide path about five miles long, causing damage to thirty homes. One house collapsed in Parkersburg, injuring an infant.
Winds associated with the tornado left thousands without electricity statewide.
Few problems were reported in Calhoun or Roane, but Wirt County did experience flash flooding.
Governor Wise has issued a state of emergency in Wood County, along with Doddridge, Harrison, Jackson, Monongalia,
Nicholas, Preston, Ritchie, and Wetzel counties.
The state of emergency allows utility crews to work overtime and empowers the state do emergency contracting and transfer
material and resources when needed.
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