Displaced Residents Return Home, Tornado Damage Of Around $300K Lawrence

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ — Last week on Tuesday, an EF-2 strength tornado ripped through Mercer County, leaving much destruction in its wake.

As reported earlier, around 60 residents were displaced as hail and high winds, caused extensive damage to the condominium complex of Lawrence Square Village.

After days of clean up, the residents have now reoccupied their unit as of Monday, according to Township Manager Kevin Nerwinski.

A preliminary estimate of the damage caused at the site due to the tornado is between $250, 000 to $300,000 Nerwinski told Patch.

“Both the Lawrence Township Fire/EMT and Police Department were the first on the scene and handled the response, setting up a command center and assisting the persons impacted by the tornado,” Nerwinski said.

Currently, the municipal budget does not have a fund to provide financial assistance to residents who are impacted by the tornado.

“Relief is often available through County, State and or Federal agencies. The municipal government assists by providing the first responders who remain on the scene for as long as necessary to protect life and property,” Nerwinski said.

Apart from the condominium complex, commercial buildings, and several vehicles were damaged in the tornado, the police department said.

Trees were uprooted and knocked over and utility lines were brought down.

An EF-2 strength tornado ripped through the County, with a path length of 5.8 miles and maximum width of 200 yards, according to the NWS. More: Tornado Confirmed In Mercer County: National Weather Service

"This is the 5th recorded tornado and the 2nd F-2/EF-2 in New Jersey in February since 1950," The NWS said.

A February tornado is quite rare in the state, according to the office of New Jersey State Climatologists. The last time NJ recorded a February tornado was on Feb. 12, 1999. The F-1 category tornado caused much damage near Cherry Hill in Camden and was one of four tornadoes reported in the state since 1950. The other three were reported on Feb. 2, 1973, in Hunterdon (one F-2 and two of F-1 category).

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