A series of tornadoes tore through the South and Midwest this weekend, killing dozens.
"You could hear all the steel ripping. People screaming in fear for their lives," Michael Hollowell, a store manager for Lowes in Sanford, North Carolina, told The Associated Press on Sunday.
The death toll was marked at 45 across six states as tornadoes downed power lines, knocked down trees and damaged homes. More than 20 of those deaths occurred in North Carolina. The governor there declared a state of emergency.
The tornados claimed lives in Oklahoma on Thursday. The storm then moved through Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. According to the AP, seven died in Arkansas, seven in Alabama, two in Oklahoma and one in Mississippi.
Reports say emergency crews were on hand to assess damage. Several major roadways remained flooded and electricity was out in several areas.
Those who lost their homes said they have few options.
"All we can do is start over," said Aleta Tootle of North Carolina to the AP. "We don't have a choice."
