‘Tossed Them Like Rags': Videos Show Small Tornado Hitting North Haven

Viewer videos show a tornado in North Haven on Wednesday afternoon.

C.J. Flinter, a towtruck operator, said he was on the phone with his dispatcher when he saw debris flying in the sky.

"I look out the window and I just see something flying across the parking lot and, was like 'holy cow'", Flinter told NBC Connecticut. "I said, (to my dispatcher) 'I go to go. There's a tornado going on!'"

Seconds before shooting the video, Flinter saw trees being blown in the lot near Universal Drive. 

"It was much darker. It was a lot more stronger. There were a couple trees blowing across where the train cars are," Flinter said. "It was powerful."

The small tornado touched down in the Montowese section of North Haven around 1:30 p.m.

Caridad Damiani said she was driving south on Interstate 91 near the North Haven exit when she saw a "massive dark cloud off in the distance."

"I wasn't even sure, really, what it was at first until I could see gusts of wind throwing around signs," Damiani said.

Then she reached for her phone to start recording the "terrifying" scene. Within seconds, the tornado was on top of her while she drove through it.

"It's amazing how quickly they move," Damiani said. "The force of the wind was so strong it did shove me around on the highway."

After the tornado touched down, she was trembling but it looked like nothing had happened.

"The trees, as a whole, were upright," Damiani said. "But (the tornado) had torn away branches, leaves and just tossed them like rags."

North Haven Storm Damage Aug. 10

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