Eastern Pennsylvania was hammered by a massive storm that resembled a tornado Wednesday night, leaving six people injured and a trail of destruction in its wake.
The Wilkes-Barre area was under a tornado warning when the storm hit and, while it was still unclear whether a tornado did in fact strike the area, the National Weather Service was at the scene assessing damage, NBC10 reported.
Meanwhile, residents were left to deal with the aftermath of the storm.
Homes and businesses were shredded, power lines and trees knocked down and the Arena Hub Plaza, a prominent shopping center in eastern Pennsylvania, was severely damaged, CNN reported.
As of Thursday morning, emergency crew were searching through debris for residents who may be injured and unable to evacuate.
The local police department reported there were "multiple collapsed buildings" and asked drivers to avoid streets surrounding the mall so that emergency personal can access the area.
Taking to Twitter, Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey had urged residents in the path of the storm to stay safe and follow warnings and directions of local officials.
Bruno Isles, a Panera staffer who was on shift when the storm struck, told Times Leader that tables and chairs went flying through the windows when the heavy winds hammered the restaurant Wednesday night.
"I helped another man over the counter," he said. "We just waited for the police and fire to come."
Tornado season occurs from early spring to mid-summer, but tornadoes can appear anytime warm and cool temperatures collide, with winds reaching, and exceeding, 300 miles per hour.
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