The tornado that hopscotched its way up the I-95 /US 301 corridor in  eastern North Carolina began its journey in Hope Mills, just south of Fayetteville.

“It came right out of the southeast,” said witness Jim Strickland.

As it did, it tore down power lines, tree limbs and anything else that was in its way.

Among the places the tornado struck was a home on Rosiln Farm Road.

“It took the roof of the house off,” said Strickland. “everybody’s been coming by offering  services to get all the stuff  that was damaged covered up and to make sure everything is OK.”

Amy Moore’s mother lived in the house. She took refuge in the bathroom when the tornado struck. It’s not the first time she’s done that when a twister arrived.

"It’s the fourth time the house has been hit and the third time we’ve had damage,” said Amy. “The last time a tornado did this much damage to the house, my brother and I were inside. We survived that night as well.”

A quarter mile away on Braxton Road, more homes caught the wrath of the winds.

The local fire chief says 12 homes were damaged; among them one belonging to Edison Freeman.

“The only thing I can do now is get something over the top of this house, because there’s rain coming in.”

The tornado also cut a swath across interstate 95 near Hope Mills.

"It downed some trees ahead of us somewhere," said driver L.A. Brown of Raleigh who was stuck in a line of stopped cars on the interstate waiting for the road to reopen.

The twister also flipped over a tractor trailer causing traffic tie ups that lasted into the dark hours.

“We had a nice road trip planned and we’re sitting still, said driver Will Quick. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens now.”