NWS tornado warning covered Dover, Camden, and Rodney areas
The Dover Police Department declared a state of emergency at 6:20 p.m. EDT on Thursday and repeatedly urged residents to stay home after a likely tornado caused significant damage throughout the city.
The department told residents on Facebook to “PLEASE STAY OFF THE ROADS AND STAY HOME!!!!!!” and said in a statement, “Our officers and emergency crews are working throughout the city.” In a separate post, the department added: “The best thing you can do right now is stay home and give them room to work. Dover — please take this seriously. Stay home. Stay safe.”
The department said the city “likely experienced a tornado, with significant damage reported throughout parts of the city.” It identified the hardest-hit area as the corridor of Division Street and Lockerman Street, where the storm downed numerous trees and caused flooding and other “storm-related damage.” Power outages were also reported, though the department did not detail specific damage in the corridor.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning that was in effect until 6:45 p.m. EDT for the Delaware areas of Dover, Camden, and Rodney.
Dover Motor Speedway, known for hosting NASCAR races, said it appeared to have suffered no major damage. “We’ll continue to monitor the situation and plan to conduct a more thorough survey of the facility in the coming days,” the speedway said in a statement.
The storm arrived as parts of the U.S. East Coast were expected to see torrential downpours and flash flooding over the weekend.