39 homes damaged in Concord tornado

A tornado touched down in Concord, Massachusetts, Monday morning, damaging 39 homes while knocking down power lines and several trees, officials said.

Residents woke up to extended damage from the storm that hit the area around 3:20 a.m., first touching down near the Cambridge Turnpike.

According to the National Weather Service, the tornado was rated an EF-1, with a maximum wind speed of 100 mph. It took a path of around 400 yards wide and about half a mile long, uprooting trees and damaging the roofs of several houses.

Only one home sustained severe structural damage.

Most of the damage was concentrated near Alcott and Independence roads, as well as the 400 to 500 block of Lexington Road, officials said. No injuries have been reported.

“We are thankful that no residents were injured during last night’s storm,” Concord Police Chief Joseph O’Connor said in a statement. “We ask that everyone be patient during today’s cleanup and stay as far away from the damaged areas as possible.”

The drought currently affecting Massachusetts may have weakened the root systems of the trees, according to the weather service, making them easier to uproot in the wind.

The Concord Municipal Light Plant is working to restore power in the area, and as of 1 p.m. Monday, had restored power to 500 people. Approximately 500 Concord residents were still without power at that time.