The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down in Bridgeport on Thursday.
The tornado caused winds on Thursday in excess of 100 miles per hour to Cedar and Nichols streets at East Main Street, according to National Weather Service officials, who confirmed that this was more than a severe storm.
The actual tornado touched down in the area about 100 yards wide and .15 miles long one block north of Interstate 95 around 2:30 p.m., according to officials.
“The tornado touched down for just a short period of time, but it will take several weeks, perhaps months to put so many lives and livelihoods back together,” Gov. M. Jodi Rell said on Friday, She toured the damage yesterday afternoon. “The state today is formally requesting that FEMA begin the damage assessment process for everyone affected by yesterday’s severe weather as the first step in potential federal disaster assistance.”
Most of the damage, however, was caused by a strong storm, but not a tornado.
The damage reported in Easton and Trumbull was associated with a straight-line wind damage and is not consistent with damage created by a tornado, officials determined.
Fifty families were left homeless in Bridgeport. The city issued a state of emergency and prompted the mayor to enact a curfew. Both were lifted on Friday morning.
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Storms ripped off roofs, caused nine buildings to partially collapse, toppled trees and shattered windows in parts of the state’s largest city.
"East Main Street just looks like Godzilla came and grabbed roofs and wires and cars and mixed them all together," Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said.
