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A tornado touched down Monday morning on Fishers Island, toppling trees, yanking down power lines and moving small buildings off their foundations, the National Weather Service said.
The EF0 tornado, the lowest level grade, reported winds between 65-85 mph when it was landfall at 7:35 am on Fishers Island, at the eastern end of the Long Island Sound.
The tornado started as a waterspout but gained strength. The twister traveled about 2 miles offshore, the Weather Service said.
The Fishers Island Fire Department and Suffolk County Office of Emergency Management, which, while geographically close to the Connecticut coast, is a hamlet in the Town of Southold.
Photos from the island posted on the social media show several wood-framed buildings toppled or pulled off their foundation.
There were no fatalities reported, but the Weather Service, which is sending a crew to the island Tuesday morning, said it's too soon to know about injuries. Fishers Island is home to 236 year-round residents, according to the 2010 Census.
"Said Carlie Buccola, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Upton.
The Suffolk County Police Department carried out a flyover of Fishers Island Monday to assess the damage and contact the Town of Southold, said spokeswoman Marykate Guilfoyle said.
The Suffolk Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services will take over the National Weather Service representatives at the scene Tuesday morning, Guilfoyle said.
While October tornadoes are rare on Long Island, this was the second twister to hit the Suffolk community this month. On Oct. 4, at Ronkonkoma neighborhood, taking down dozens of trees.
Robert Brodsky is a news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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