North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) said yesterday that the state must learn from the surprise tornado that struck Ocean Isle Beach with little or no warning, leaving three people dead and 10 injured. The governor surveyed the brunt of the damage, at Ocean Ridge Plantation, a neighborhood where residents recounted near-death experiences from the powerful EF3 tornado that approached swiftly. Showing the governor obliterated roofs, downed trees and severely damaged homes, Brunswick County Emergency Services Director Ed Conrow echoed the frustrations of residents who spoke of having little to no time to prepare. "It developed so fast," Conrow told the governor. "I mean, it just was really nothing and just exploded. Within four minutes, we had a tornado on the ground, which is scary because everyone's in bed at nighttime sleeping." He told reporters during Cooper's visit: "It was just a freak storm that developed so fast we had no chance to respond."
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