After a rare tornado earning an EF1 rating from the National Weather Service in Scotts Valley Saturday afternoon toppled cars and forced residents to take cover, police Sunday said the number of reported injuries remains consistent at five with no fatalities reported as the cleanup continued.

Capt. Scott Garner told the Sentinel Sunday afternoon that none of the injuries is life threatening, with a broken rib being among the worst.

“It’s a blessing that there weren’t any fatalities,” he said.

Of those injured, the Scotts Valley Police Department said three individuals were transported to area medical facilities, with one being admitted for continued treatment. Police are actively following up with the remaining injured people to monitor their recovery and ensure their well-being.Garner said the community came together with multiple agencies and local in the area stepping up after the tornado struck.

“We want to take a moment to thank the community for its patience, understanding, and cooperation as we worked through this challenging and impactful situation,” Scotts Valley police said in a statement. “We know the disruption caused was significant, and your support throughout the process has been invaluable.”

Damage to businesses was limited to broken windows or signs. With work ongoing, Garner asked nonresidents to avoid the area if possible. The Scotts Valley Police Department and other partnering agencies worked throughout the night to repair damaged equipment, restore power and reopen the city’s roadways. All roads and businesses in Scotts Valley that were scheduled to be open Sunday were fully operational with power.

“We would also like to extend a special thank you to the PG&E crews who worked diligently to restore power, the tree removal teams who cleared debris to ensure safe passage, the tow companies who assisted in clearing roadways, and all of the public safety teams who handled the response — from the first 911 call to the final moments of reopening the roads,” Scotts Valley police said in a statement.

A team from the National Weather Service conducted a storm survey in Scotts Valley late Saturday and assessed a maximum wind speed of 90 mph, which is a weak EF-1 tornado. The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates tornadoes from 0-5 based on estimated wind speeds and 28 different types of damage to structures and trees.

“The team identified a swath of tornadic damage that began near the intersection of Mount Hermon Rd and Lockewood Ln and continued southeast along Mount Hermon Rd until just short of Kings Village Rd,” the weather service said in a statement. “A wide range of damage was observed including: downed trees, downed power poles, trees stripped of branches, numerous overturned vehicles, and damaged street signs.”

Multiple cars were overturned in and around a shopping district on Mount Hermon Drive. Power lines were also down and roads blocked in all directions near Mount Hermon Road. Myrl Wallace was just stepping out of the Target store on Mount Hermon Road with some groceries when the rain began falling hard again Saturday.

“After I got through the doors the rain went sideways,” Wallace, 58, of Boulder Creek, said. “I turned around and there was a tornado. It was right there, tearing down these branches. It picked up and moved my car, flipped it sideways and backwards against these trees.”

Wallace’s gray Ford F-150 pickup was crumpled and battered. But at least he was unhurt.

“Oh well, what are you going to do?” Wallace said. “For me, it’s not the end of the world. For others, it’s a lot worse. I’ll be fine.”

Scotts Valley Vice Mayor Derek Timm said the twister flipped several vehicles and blew down branches and trees, including one that fell onto Scotts Valley Middle School. The harsh winds ripped traffic signal lights off of their support poles, blew down a lamp post in the Scotts Valley Target parking lot and knocked over electrical power poles, cutting off power and snarling traffic throughout the afternoon.

“Luckily, there was no loss of life,” Timm said Saturday, praising the quick and professional response of local public safety agencies.

Timm, who grew up in Nebraska and Kentucky where tornados are more common, said Saturday’s event “brings back some not very pleasant memories.” Such events are rare in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The closest thing he recalled was a “roll cloud” — like a sideways tornado — that came with the lightning storm that ignited the CZU Lightning Complex fires in 2020.

“It’s just hard to digest what’s going on,” he said.

California witnesses an average of 11 tornadoes a year — typically during the spring and fall, according to the NWS. Although tornadoes can occur across the state, they are commonly found in the northern Central Valley region. According to statistics compiled by Bay Area meteorologist Jan Null, the tornado in Scotts Valley Saturday was the eighth in Santa Cruz County since 1950.

Winds between 75-85 mph were recorded by the NWS Saturday, including 83 mph gusts at San Francisco International Airport and 59 mph winds in Oakland. The Monterey Airport also saw high winds of 79 mph.

With the strong winds came toppled trees and lengthy power outages that affected residents from Santa Cruz to Richmond.

Boulder Creek resident Chelsea Montanari woke up early on Saturday and was getting ready for the day when she heard a jolting crash — part of a nearby tree had fallen and smashed through her roof, nearly missing her sleeping 3-year-old son.

“My poor baby was crying and covered in debris,” Montanari said. “A lot of stuff came out from the roof, including rusty nails. Fortunately, everything just missed him except the debris in his hair.”

Living up in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Montanari and her family usually see tree branches fall down in feisty weather, but nowhere the size of Saturday morning’s. “We heard lots of stories and knew it was a possibility, but didn’t think it would happen to us,” Montanari said. “Then it did, unfortunately.”

PG&E reported 9,630 customers in Santa Cruz County and 36,243 in Monterey County without power Saturday. By Sunday afternoon, 3,590 customers in Santa Cruz County and 20,888 in Monterey County remained without power.