Houses reported down in severe NH storms

EPSOM, N.H. -- Severe thunderstorms swept through central and eastern New Hampshire on Thursday including reports of collapsed buildings and at least two possible funnel clouds or tornadoes.

State Emergency Management spokesman Jim Van Dongen said a house reportedly collapsed in Epsom, where the fire chief said preliminary reports indicated that 50 to 100 homes were damaged.

The National Weather Service briefly issued a tornado warning and posted severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of four counties.

Meterologist Kirk Apffel in Gray, Maine, said someone reported a tornado to police in Northwood, just east of Epsom, and a funnel cloud was reported 20 miles south in Atkinson.

No official word was immediately available on injuries as emergency officials scrambled to respond to calls.

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