Half of storm dead from Bertie

Alethea Howard, left, gets a hug of support from friend Regina Harrell in front of her tornado-destroyed home on Morris Ford Rd. west of Colerain in Bertie County N.C. on April 20, 2011.
Volunteer Francis Cox searches for small items in front of twin sisters Alethea Howard and Aleta Tootle's tornado-destroyed home on Morris Ford Rd. west of Colerain in Bertie County N.C. on April 20, 2011.
Alethea Howard searches for her items in front of her tornado-destroyed home on Morris Ford Rd. west of Colerain in Bertie County N.C. on April 20, 2011.
 
The bathroom is all that remains of this house that was destroyed by the tornado at this site about 3 miles west of Colerain on Hwy 42 in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011. Luckily, two people were in the bathroom when the tornado hit and they survived.

Benjamin Anthony, left, and his fiance' Aleta Tootle describe what they experienced as they were in their home, background, when the tornado went over it on Morris Ford Rd. west of Colerain in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011.
Tornado victims Mary Holley, second from right, and Quadesia Mitchell, right, collect items from an aid distribution center set up at the Askewville Bethel Assembly of God Church in Askewville in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011.
Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) members work the damage scene where three people were killed when the tornado blew the whole house off the foundation (right front) at this site about 3 miles west of Colerain on Hwy 42 in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011.
Raymond Cale reflects as he talks about his house, background, that was destroyed by the tornado at this site about 3 miles west of Colerain on Hwy 42 in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011. He had taken his wife to the hospital shortly before the tornado hit; luckily he wasn't in the house when it arrived.

Bishop Thomas Lee surveys the damage to his office at the Greater Wynn's Grove Baptist Church west of Colerain in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011.
The tornado blew this car from across the street into this ditch on Morris Ford Rd. west of Colerain in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011.
Alethea Howard, right, hugs volunteer Francis Cox after he found an heirloom ring of hers on the ground in front of her tornado-destroyed home on Morris Ford Rd. west of Colerain in Bertie County N.C. on April 20, 2011.
A view looking south down Hwy. 45 at the intersection with Hwy. 42 in Colerain in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011.
Charles Bond,left, and Gloria Williams have lunch during a break from searching for family's possessions at Bond's mother home in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011 after a tornado ripped through the area Saturday. The violent weather began Thursday in Oklahoma, where two people died, before cutting across the Deep South on Friday and hitting North Carolina and Virginia on Saturday.
A car sits in a drainage ditch in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011 after a tornado ripped through the area Saturday.
Emma Morris, right, comforts June White at Moore's Family Care Home in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011 after a tornado ripped through the area Saturday.
Morgan Barfeild carries her grandfather's WWll American flag across what is left of the her grandmother's home in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011.

June White searches through what is left of Moore's Family Care Home in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011 after a tornado ripped through the area Saturday.
Clifton Perry stands on what's left of this home in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011 after a tornado hit the area on Saturday.
Bill Alston cleans up what remains of a family member's home in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011 after a tornado ripped through the area Saturday.

Gov. Bev Perdue tours a heavily damaged neighborhood in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011 after a tornado ripped through the area Saturday

Morgan Barfeild carries her grandfather's WWll American flag across what left of the her grandmother home in Colerain, N.C., Monday, April 18, 2011.
Trinette Avery walks through the remnants of her aunt's

Justin Dunlow (cq, left) tries to move debris from what used to be his home in Askewville, NC in Bertie County. The house landed here but was originally about 100 yards away.
Brandon Barnes (cq, center) sits on a pile of debris near Askewville Street in Askewville, NC not far from where his home used to sit. "I drove right through the middle of it. My car was tipping so I opened up the windows and drove as fast as I could. Branches were hitting my car," he said.
JOHN ROTTET - jrottet@newsobserver.com
People gather belongings near Askewville Street in Askewville, NC.

The steps are all that's left of this home near Askewville Street in Askewville, NC.
Tin from a roof is wrapped around a tree near Askewville Street in Askewville, NC as a partially demolished mobile home sits in the background.
Amanda Nelms holds her daughter Brianna's hand on the front steps of what is left of their grandfather's home just off Askewville Street in Askewville, NC.
Amanda Nelms (cq, left) looks in cabinets in what is left of their grandfather's home just off Askewville Street in Askewville, NC. Her husband Brian (cq) holds their daughter Brianna (cq).
The Mizelle home along New Road in Askewville, NC lost its whole second floor and trees in the yard snapped.
New Road in Askewville, NC becomes hard to get through at times.
Family and friends gather along Morris Ford Road near Askewville, NC where a woman that was in this house was reportedly was killed. Her body was recovered across the road in the woods.
Nearly everything wiped out along Morris Ford Road near Askewville, NC.

The remains of a rest home along Morris Ford Road near Askewville, NC where two people were reportedly killed.
Louise Jernigan tries to salvage some items from her mother and father's house that was destroyed by the tornado that ripped through Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011.
Three people were killed when the tornado blew the whole house off the foundation at this site about 3 miles west of Colerain on Hwy 42 in Bertie County N.C., seen on April 20, 2011.