Massachusetts was under a state of emergency after at least two tornadoes hit the northeastern US state, leaving four people dead, officials said.
Governor Deval Patrick declared the state of emergency “in response to the impacts of the tornadic activity and severe weather,” his office said on Wednesday.
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency spokesman Scott MacLeod spoke of the “unprecedented” severity and magnitude of the storms.
“On an annual basis, we expect to see one, two or three tornado watches or warnings but certainly the impacts we’ve seen as a result of today tornadoes is extremely severe,” he said.
In response to the declaration, the state’s national guard activated 1,000 service members to assist in response and rescue efforts.
The severe weather and tornadoes “produced high winds, property damage and widespread power outages in communities” throughout the state, said a statement from the governor’s office, urging residents to take shelter due to ongoing weather warnings.
About 20 communities throughout the state reported tornado touchdowns, MacLeod said, adding that the National Weather Service was working on confirming the strength and severity of the twisters across the state.
The tornadoes came just over a week after a massive funnel cloud struck the Missouri town of Joplin, killing 134 in one of the worst tornado strikes to hit the United States.