DANVILLE, Va. – Tropical Storm Zeta moved swiftly through the area Thursday, spawning a path of destruction in its wake.

Linemen from other localities were called in to help restore power in Danville, where downed trees and power lines left thousands in the dark overnight.

At the peak of the storm, 23,350 customers were without power in the Danville service area. That number had been reduced to 1,900 Thursday night, but due to the extent of damage, it will be Friday before service is restored to some homes. Four mutual aid crews from Rocky Mount, N.C., are scheduled to arrive Friday morning and will assist with the repairs.

The city’s Emergency 911 Center dispatched crews to about 50 calls of trees blocking roadways, including one on 58W which temporarily closed both eastbound lanes. Cambridge Dr. was also closed due to a downed tree.

The Danville Fire Department used a ladder truck to clear a large tree from the back of a home on Oxford Place. The tree knocked off the rear section of the house but there were no injuries. Crews placed a tarp over the damage.

In North Carolina, Zeta brought heavy rain, damaging winds and multiple tornado warnings to the Piedmont Triad area. Tornado warnings were issued at 10:30 and expired late Thursday night for Guilford, Alamance, Caswell and Rockingham counties. Rainfall, which was heavy at times, caused flooding throughout the region.

Damaging wind gusts knocked down trees and power lines, creating travel hazards for motorists all across the Piedmont. A huge oak tree, felled by winds from the aftermath of Zeta, crushed the roof of a one-story brick house Thursday morning along U.S. 158 near the border of Rockingham and Guilford counties.

Rescuers responded to multiple reports of people becoming trapped in vehicles that had been crushed by trees.

Photo courtesy River City TV