Tornadoes roared through Massachusetts on Wednesday, as violent winds caused damage in about two dozen communities, ripping off roofs, uprooting trees, scattering debris and leaving at least four dead throughout the state.
The storm pulverized or sheared off the tops of roofs on Main Street in Springfield, a city of more than 150,000 about 90 miles west of Boston. A mounted video camera captured dramatic footage of a debris-filled funnel as it swept into downtown from the west, then crossed the Connecticut River.
RELATED: View Video of Massachusetts Tornado
Massachusetts hasn't experienced a tornado since 2008, according to the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla. The state normally averages about two per year.
The last killer tornado in Massachusetts was on May 29, 1995, when three people died in Great Barrington, a town along the New York state border. The state's deadliest recorded tornado on June 9, 1953, killed 94 people in the Worcester area.
The storms tore a swath of damage through 19 communities, including several small towns in western and central Massachusetts.
In this photo provided by John Garvey, the tornado is seen moving through Springfield, Mass., Wednesday, June 1, 2011 (AP Photo/John Garvey). Click on the following pages for more images of destruction, including a toppled church steeple.
Before and after photos show the damage caused to the steeple of The First Church of Monson, which lays in rubble on the ground after a tornado swept through the downtown area of Monson, Mass. (Top Photo: First Church of Monson web site/Bottom Photo: AP Photo/Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Tom Rettig)
Bricks and debris that fell from a building lay on top of cars after a report of a tornado in Springfield, Mass., Wednesday, June 1, 2011. An apparent tornado struck downtown Springfield, one of Massachusetts' largest cities. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
A roof is damaged on a building after a tornado in Springfield, Mass. on Wednesday. Gov. Deval Patrick said at least two tornadoes swept through parts of the state on Wednesday afternoon, scattering debris, toppling trees and triggering a declaration of a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Damaged houses are seen after a tornado swept through the downtown area of Monson, Mass., Wednesday, June 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Tom Rettig)
Storm damage is seen in downtown Springfield, Mass. An apparent tornado tore off building roofs, scattered debris, toppled trees, and frightened workers and residents. . (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
A police officer checks on people in a house after a reported tornado struck Springfield, Mass., Wednesday, June 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Houses and trees show damage after severe storms, with possible tornadoes, moved through Brimfield, Mass., Wednesday, June 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Tom Rettig)
A man talks on his phone near storm damage after a reported tornado struck downtown Springfield, Mass., Wednesday, June 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
An apparent tornado struck Springfield, Mass., one of the state's largest cities on Wednesday afternoon, ripping off roofs, scattering debris, and toppling trees. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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