National Weather Service officials confirmed Thursday morning that a tornado touched down in a Sussex County town during Wednesday afternoon’s severe thunderstorms that pushed through the region.

Officials say an EF2 tornado tore through the town of Wantage, ripping roofs of some houses, destroying barns, and causing extensive damage to roadways in its path.

Winds from the twister were estimated as high as 120 mph.

Two barns were ripped apart; their walls tossed around like pieces of paper. Then there was the silo that tumbled like it was a toy. The silo was made with about 40 tons of concrete and steel all meshed together. To see it ripped apart by Mother Nature was a marvel.

The township declared a state of emergency after the extensive damage also done to trees and power lines. No one was hurt by the twister, fortunately.

“With the different people that saw it and sent me pictures of it, there’s no question in my mind it was definitely a tornado,” Wantage Mayor Parker Spence said.

What they’re doing first is giving thanks that everyone’s still around to talk about the day a tornado came to town.

The mayor of Wantage said the last time a tornado hit the town was September of 1980.

(Source: WCBSTV)