[PHOTO LINK BELOW] At least two tornadoes struck Springfield, Massachusetts, and numerous other communities in the western part of the state Wednesday, leaving behind four deaths, many injuries and extensive damage.

As many as 19 communities around Springfield, about 90 miles west of Boston, reported tornado damage Wednesday evening, Gov. Deval Patrick told reporters. Patrick declared a state of emergency as the storm system that spawned those twisters moved east, with watches posted all the way to the Atlantic coast until late Wednesday.

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Peter Judge of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency confirms that the agency has confirmed four deaths in Wednesday’s tornadoes.

Gov. Deval Patrick had said during a news conference just before 8 p.m. that he knew of at least one death in West Springfield when a car overturned.

It’s been particularly devastating in downtown Springfield, the governor said. He said a local official told him, You have to see Monson to believe it.

Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Michael Popovics said Springfield, Monson and eight other towns — Agawam, Charlton, Oxford, Palmer, Sturbridge, West Springfield, Westfield and Wilbraham — reported severe damage. Sandra Ahearn, a spokeswoman for the Western Massachusetts Electric Co., said 12,000 customers were without power in the utility’s service area and that hard-hit areas might not have electricity until the end of the week.

Patrick said he has mobilized 1,000 National Guard troops to assist with cleanup and search-and-rescue operations. The Massachusetts State Police said it had activated dog teams to look for people in damaged buildings and described many streets in Springfield as impassable due to fallen power lines and trees.

The damage came amid a wave of heavy thunderstorms that moved through the Northeast on Wednesday afternoon. Tornado watches were also issued for northern Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine until 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Though not as tornado-prone as much of the Midwest or South, Massachusetts has averaged two to three twisters per year since 1950, according to figures from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 1953, a massive tornado that struck Worcester and nearby towns killed 90 people, according to NOAA; the last tornado to hit the state was in 2008.

(Source: CNN)