Updated 07/27/2012 08:05 PM
Total of four tornadoes reported from Thursday’s storm
City crews are working to clear the streets and residents are working to repair their properties after Thursday’s severe weather. Our Bill Mich was in Elmira with the latest developments in the city’s recovery effort.
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ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The National Weather Service has now confirmed four tornados touched down in the Twin Tiers during Thursday's severe storms.
In Elmira, the twister was an EF-1 with maximum winds of 110 miles per hour. Its path was ten miles long and substantial damage left behind is evidence of that.
Officials from the State Office of Emergency Management were in town Friday for a bus tour of the damage.
Crews locally are continuing to remove downed trees and restore power to customers.
The County Executive says despite the devastating storm, everyone appears to be okay and the community will recover.
"It's remarkable that no one was hurt and if there's any good news, that's huge news. And we will, through the hard work of all the people that are here today, get this community back on its feet in the next few days," Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli.
The three other confirmed tornados were in the Corning area, as well as Montrose and Bridgewater, Pennsylvania. They were all EF-1 tornados with speeds up to 95 miles per hour in Corning and 90 miles per hour for both in Pennsylvania.
While a State of Emergency remains in effect in Elmira, officials say there is no longer a curfew. Despite that, they are urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel in areas affected by the storms.
The shelter established by the Red Cross at Elmira Free Academy will remain open through Saturday. And NYSEG is making dry ice and bottled water available at four locations in Chemung, Tioga and Broome counties. Those locations include Ernie Davis Middle School and New Beginnings Methodist Church in Elmira, the Tioga Center Fire Department and the Vestal Fire Department Station 4.
The distributions in Elmira run from 7 to 11 p.m., in Tioga Center from 7:30 to 10 p.m. and in Vestal from 7 to 10 p.m. or until supplies are gone.
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