UPDATED: Possible tornado hits Bamberg; little damage in Orangeburg, Calhoun

The storm caused “a lot of damage to several businesses, several home,” Bamberg County Emergency Services Director Tiffany Kemmerlin said.

No injuries have been reported. Some entrapments were reported, but the people were freed safely.

The county is still responding and performing damage assessments.

Edisto Electric Cooperative posted on Facebook that “well, we just had a tornado touch down right beside our headquarters in Bamberg! Unfortunately, it looks like Bamberg was hit pretty hard.

“Hopefully, no one was injured. Please be careful, folks.”

The National Weather Service reported, “Numerous structures heavily damaged or destroyed along Main Hwy and in other parts of Bamberg.”

The Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office is warning, “Please stay off the roads unless it’s an emergency and be mindful of emergency response personnel working hard to keep our citizens safe.”

Orangeburg County Emergency Services Director Billy Staley said the county received, “two warnings but no impacts from the tornadoes that we’re aware of. And one of the warnings was the same one that hit Bamberg.”

He received two reports of structures being damaged in the Santee area on Tuesday afternoon.

In one instance, half a roof was blown off a mobile home. Also, tin ripped off a structure. The reports had not been officially verified Tuesday afternoon.

Also, “We have about 13 trees down today,” he said. More reports were coming in of downed trees.

No injuries were reported.

Staley thanked Orangeburg County residents for preparing for the storm.

“Take these warnings and these storms seriously,” he said.

Calhoun County Director of Emergency Management David Chojnacki said there were no reports of significant damage.

“There were some trees down and a couple of power outages but nothing major,” Chojnacki said. “We just had lots of rain and wind.”

In other storm reports collected by the National Weather Service:

• 9:49 a.m. — Tree down on Hudson Road, east of Cope.

• 11:58 a.m. –Tree down Winter Creek Road at Ebenezer Road, east of Bowman.

• 2:56 p.m. — 59 mph wind gust measured at Orangeburg Municipal Airport.