Damage, one death reported in portion of Sussex County from storm with a suspected tornado

A suspected tornado struck the Sussex County communities of Bridgeville, Ellendale and Greenwood Saturday night as severe thunderstorms and high winds hit the state.

WBOC and other media outlets reported the death came when a house collapsed. There were widespread reports of damage. The Sussex County Office of Emergency Management earlier reported one death from the storm.

Social media reports showed damage in the area, with Greenwood-based Delaware Electric Cooperative reporting nearly 2,000 outages from the storm that struck all areas of the state. The cooperative reported at least 20 broken poles and other damaged equipment from Bridgeville and Greenwood to Ellendale. Some members may be without power until Sunday.

Earlier in the day, temperatures moved into the high 60s and 70s after morning rainfall. Ominous clouds appeared in late afternoon.

WBOC TV viewers sent videos, including one that showed what appeared to be a funnel cloud. Also reported was damage in Ellendale that included utility poles and a home.

To the north, Delmarva Power reported nearly 1,300 outages in the Elkton, MD area, west of Newark. Outages and tree-related damage was reported in Newark.

A Tornado Watch was issued for the entire state of Delaware, followed by a warning in portions of Sussex.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services will activate a call center for those affected by this evening’s severe weather and in need of shelter, food, medical, or other assistance. The call center will be open from 9:30 am to 5 pm Sunday, April 2. The number is 1-866-843-7212.

The National Weather Service reported at around 9:30 a.m. that the severe weather threat has ended, and all watches had been dropped. Winds are expected overnight, and a Wind Advisory remains in effect until 2 a.m. Gusts above 45 miles an hour were possible.