CA school students shaken up after tornado touches down in Central Valley

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. -- Berenda Elementary School is cleaning up after some debris was left behind, after a tornado that touched down on Friday afternoon.

Broken tree branches, caused by the tornado, bent the fence at the front of the school. Tree branches also littered parts of the campus.

For sisters Emely and Eilyn Soto, they say what happened that afternoon was scary.

"I just heard everyone screaming and branches and trees just falling down," said Emely, a fourth grader at the school. "The teachers tried to close the door and they couldn't. They finally did and grabbed everyone to go on the floor."

The two sisters were coloring in the cafeteria after school when the tornado touched down in Madera County. The sisters were scared by what happened because it's not something they've experience before.

RELATED: Tornado touches down in Madera County, National Weather Service confirms

"All the trees just went doom, doom," said third grader Eileyn.

Their brother Carlos said he was on his way to Fresno, when his mother called him to turn around and go back, to pick up his sisters.

"We got there and it was a terrifying site honestly," said Carlos. "There were trees everywhere. The front fence of Berenda Elementary school was collapsed."

Action News saw the damaged fence at the front of the school being held up by a zip tie. Carlos said he's lived in Madera for years and he's never seen anything like this. But Emely & Eilyn felt relief when they saw their big brother.

"I ran to him and hugged him," said Eilyn. "I was like 'Where's mom at?' I just started crying and saying can we go home."

Carlos adds he also picked up his little cousin as well.

"I tried to tell them focus on your breathing, calm down, I'm here now," said Carlos. "Nothing's going to happen to you. "

After that scary situation for Emely & Eilyn, they're glad to be home with their family.

The Madera Unified School District said a portable classroom was damaged, but no students were inside at the time. The district adds the students that were on a site were part of an after-school program. District reps told Action News emergency plans were taken to help students get to their families safely.

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