Confirmed: Tornado hits Tonopah

TONOPAH, AZ - A tornado touched down in Tonopah Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm cell that hit just west of the Valley caused massive damage to at least one Tonopah neighborhood, ripping apart homes, pulling roofs off their structures, and scattering debris across the ground.

The Weather Service said Friday that a funnel cloud touched down briefly about 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the area of 335th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road in Tonopah, which is about 70 miles west of Phoenix.

An image from ABC15.com user Jean Suttle (see attached image) shows what might be a funnel cloud in the distance. Suttle said her photo was taken Thursday afternoon from 374th Avenue and Roosevelt, not far from Tonopah.

Tracy Deadman also sent in a photo that more clearly shows a funnel cloud. She wrote that she just happened to be taking pictures of the storm as it headed east toward her house in Tonopah.

A Tonopah Fire Department captain said a mobile home was actually torn off of its base and flipped with the homeowner inside.

Seventy-seven-year-old Jose Guajardo said he was trying to hold onto whatever he could when his mobile home was torn away from the base and thrown several feet away.

"It picked up the mobile home like a fleather," he said. "That thing just collapsed."

Guajardo was taken to a local hospital as a precaution. The home is a total loss including several cars.

Gabrielle Fildes, who lives next door to Guajardo says she couldn't find her neighbor's house. "I looked out my window, and said 'the house is gone.'"

"Very lucky, very lucky," Guajardo said. "I thought that was going to be my last day."

At least six other mobile homes sustained damage, including a home just down the road from Guajardo.

The tornado destroyed a mobile home belonging to the Manna House, a place for abused women. They were using the flattened home as a pantry.

"Just sad, this is what we use to give the community food and clothing," said Paulette Wimberly.

The non-profit director said they are now in need of donations. Anyone wanting to help can call 623-853-7814.

ABC15 Meteorologist Bill Bellis said the last time a tornado touched down in the south-central deserts of Arizona was 2005.