On Wednesday, a powerful tornado caused significant damage to a major Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in North Carolina.

At the same time, torrential rains led to flooding in Kentucky, while scorching heat persisted from California to South Florida.

Pfizer confirmed that the twister struck the large manufacturing complex near Rocky Mount shortly after midday.

Despite the destruction, the company stated in an email that there were no reports of serious injuries, and a subsequent statement assured that all employees had been safely evacuated and accounted for.

The tornado tore apart parts of the roofs on the massive buildings, resulting in large quantities of medicine being tossed about within the facility, the Associated Press reported.

Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone reported that approximately 50,000 pallets of medicine were strewn across the plant and sustained damage from the rain and wind.

This Pfizer plant is a critical facility that produces anesthesia and various drugs, and it contributes nearly 25% of all sterile injectable medications used in hospitals across the United States, according to information on Pfizer’s website.

However, due to the extensive damage, experts anticipate that there may be long-term shortages as Pfizer endeavors to either relocate production to other sites or undertake rebuilding efforts.

The National Weather Service confirmed that the tornado’s impact was consistent with an EF3 tornado, with wind speeds reaching up to 150 mph (240 kph).

In the aftermath, the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office reported on Facebook that they had received reports of three people injured in the tornado, with two of them suffering life-threatening injuries.

A preliminary report from neighboring Nash County indicated that 13 people were injured, and 89 structures sustained damage due to the tornado.

Written by staff