A tornado appears to have hit a small Northern California town on Saturday, moving cars, causing extensive damage and sending several people to the hospital.
The National Weather Service said the tornado hit around 1:40 pm local time in Scotts Valley, about 30 miles south of San Jose.
Several people were taken to the hospital with injuries, but no deaths were reported, according to a news release from the Scotts Valley Police Department.
PHOTO: A tornado-like tornado has touched down in Scotts Valley, causing extensive property damage and causing several injuries. (Scotts Valley Police Department)
MORE: Winter weather is cold in most parts of the US
“Emergency medical teams are prioritizing those most in need of care, and we continue to monitor the situation,” police said in a news release.
The tornado caused “significant damage” in many areas, police said.
Photos shared by police on social media showed dozens of cars overturned on the side of the road and in a shopping mall parking lot.
The weather service confirmed the tornado based on videos, photos, eyewitness accounts and radar and said a survey team will continue to assess the damage on the ground to determine its severity.
PHOTO: A tornado-like tornado has touched down in Scotts Valley, causing extensive property damage and causing several injuries. (Scotts Valley Police Department)
California experiences an average of 11 tornadoes per year, usually in the spring and fall, depending on the weather.
Early Saturday morning, the weather service issued its first tornado warning for San Francisco, amid a powerful storm that knocked out power to thousands, according to ABC station KGO.
A tornado warning in San Francisco was lifted after 20 minutes.
What appears to be a tornado in California turns around a car, sending several to the hospital first appeared abcnews.go.com