Local
Heber-Overgaard storm damage assessment underway after suspected tornado
A suspected tornado damaged an estimated 20 to 30 buildings in Heber-Overgaard on Wednesday evening and left one person with minor injuries. A shelter has opened for displaced residents as crews continue assessing damage and the National Weather Service works to verify what happened.
Emergency crews are assessing damage in Heber-Overgaard after a suspected tornado moved through the Navajo County community Wednesday evening, damaging an estimated 20 to 30 buildings and sending one person to a hospital with minor injuries.
The first reports of a possible tornado touchdown came in around 7:15 p.m., according to the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office. Most of the affected buildings were homes. A church and fencing at a commercial property were also damaged, Heber-Overgaard Fire Chief Jason Payne said Thursday. The count is preliminary and could change as crews continue their work.
Fire officials received 18 calls to 911 in the first half-hour, Payne said, mostly reporting downed power lines, propane bottles and people who might be trapped inside homes. About 100 to 110 emergency personnel responded Wednesday night, and at least 50 were still helping residents and surveying damage Thursday.
“This is a suspected tornado,” Payne said at a news conference. The National Weather Service was on its way to examine the area and determine whether a tornado occurred and how strong it may have been.
A shelter for people displaced by the damage opened at the Navajo County Heber Complex, 2188 West Country Club Drive. The American Red Cross is coordinating shelter services. The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, Heber-Overgaard Fire District, Arizona Department of Public Safety and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office are among the agencies responding.
Heber-Overgaard, about 140 miles northeast of Phoenix, has roughly 3,000 residents. Officials urged people to follow emergency personnel’s instructions and monitor updates. The area was not under a tornado warning as of Thursday morning, though the National Weather Service warned of the possibility of more severe weather later that day.