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Tornado Cleanup Continues In Hard-Hit Harford County

FALLSTON, Md. (WJZ)-- The difficult and expensive cleanup continues around Maryland, days after a tornado outbreak leaves a path of destruction.

Derek Valcourt shows us there is still a long way to go in Fallston.

Along Belair Road in Fallston, businesses took a beating--company signs missing, bent or broken, shattered glass needing repairs and too many damaged roofs to count.

"All of a sudden you could hear debris hitting the building," said Kim Jones, Fallston Pharmacy.

Fallston Pharmacy is one of many businesses with tarps temporarily covering the damage.

"Water was starting to leak inside so that's what they're working on fixing now," Jones said.

The F1 tornado lifted and demolished a nearby office trailer, snapped hundreds of massive trees, ruined cars and knocked out power.

It also sent auto shop owner Keith Matthews to the hospital with broken bones after the tornado destroyed his small building, crushing him under a falling concrete wall.

The tornado's strong winds carried debris for long distances.  We found a Royal Farms sign in the woods hundreds of yards away from the convenience store.

Roofing companies are swamped with repairs, and cleanup crews are busy trying to help businesses get their doors back open.

Nearby homes also took a beating.

"We lost a lot of the siding on our house here," said Jill Schorr, homeowner.

Schorr had damage to her deck, walls and roof.

There are similar stories for other neighbors. Many are surprised the damage wasn't worse.

"I didn't really think my house was going to be here or my garage," said Mary Anne Corun, Fallston homeowner.

"I think we definitely got the brunt of the storm," Schorr said. "It's amazing that something like that could happen here."

Experts have ranked Maryland third for the most tornadoes per 10,000 square miles over the last couple of decades.

If you would like to help Keith Matthews, contact BB&T Bank and ask for the Keith Matthews Assist & Recovery Fund.

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