VANCOUVER, Wash. - Residents in southwest Washington continue the cleanup after a rare tornado touched down in Vancouver Thursday afternoon, downing power lines, destroying homes and businesses, uprooting trees and terrifying residents who crossed its path.

Washington Emergency Management officials spent Thursday night in Vancouver. They will spend Friday assessing damage in the region and will report back to Governor Christine Gregoire, who will then determine whether to declare a disaster area for the affected areas of Clark County.

Authorities confirmed the tornado hit at about 12:20 p.m. Thursday and was followed by several funnel clouds, which are twisters that remain above ground.

There were no reports of injuries as the tornado cut a path about a quarter-mile wide and at least two miles long from Vancouver Lake at the west edge of the town through the Hazel Dell area, leaving widespread damage in its wake.

Leah Edwards, of Clark County Fire, estimated the weather event caused about four miles worth of damage. At one point, nearly 1,000 people were without power. Power had since been restored.

"We're fortunate it happened in the daytime hours, when everyone was still at work," said Mike Shutt, Clark County PUD. "We encourage people, if they see a line down, to immediately call a utility or call 911."

Some of the storm's heaviest damage was at the edge of Vancouver Lake, where it demolished the home of the Vancouver Lake Crew.

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Dozens of volunteers helped pull chunks of rowing machines out of the bushes and a canoe lay on the opposite shore at the Vancouver Lake Crew Club in southwest Washington.

More than 50 rowing shells, which cost thousands of dollars each, lay splintered on the shore. Two large trailers that served as the base for the nonprofit club lay twisted on the ground.

Dozens of volunteers helped pull chunks of rowing machines out of the bushes. A canoe lay on the opposite shore.

It was a personal tragedy for the club's founder, Bill Kalenius, who had just finished chemotherapy and radiation treatment during the holidays. The group is almost entirely run by volunteers. One of the docks is an Eagle Scout project. And Kalenius had personally restored much of the donated equipment used by the group.

National Weather Service measured the tornado winds at 100 mph and categorized it as an F-1, the lowest level possible on the Fujita scale. Still, the tornado left plenty of damage, leaving homes and businesses in shambles.

Jerome Nye was in his car and saw the funnel pass directly over him. He said it was about 25 to 30 feet wide as it came across a field, then passed over traffic.

"I thought 'Wizard of Oz,' here we come," he said.

Vancouver homeowner Paul Robinson said he heard what sounded like road construction as the tornado touched down near his home.

"It sounded like a jet aircraft right outside my house," said Robinson, whose home was undamaged.

A severe thunderstorm warning was later issued for Hood River, Skamania and Multnomah Counties. Residents from Clark County and eastern Multnomah County reported seeing funnel clouds in the area.

Several witnesses reported seeing shopping carts flying, roofs being ripped off from homes and power lines falling. One semi-truck in Hazel Dell was toppled by the winds and a woman said strong winds almost lifted her car.

KGW / KGW viewer Saveena Ahmed

Strong winds toppled this semi truck onto its side.

Connie Storey said it was a miracle she wasn't hurt.

"It literally blew me across the street," she said. "I was just praying that nothing would hit me."

One Vancouver resident said he saw funnel clouds uproot trees and tear down metal billboards as he drove down the street.

While pockets of some neighborhoods were severely damaged, others were untouched.

The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for Clark and Skamania Counties at about 12:20 p.m. and then canceled them less than an hour later. NWS meteorologists said they had detected the tornado but couldn't clearly estimate its wind speed.

"We saw the tornado on the radar... and issued a tornado warning," said Steve Todd, chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland. "About the time we were issuing it, we got a report over there from the emergency management folks that they had gotten a touchdown and some damage."

Todd said the region of southwest Washington and northwest Oregon sees only one or two tornadoes a year, most often in sparsely populated areas.

"We do see more of actually what we call funnel clouds," he said. "Those are the same type of phenomenon only they don't touch down. As soon as they touch down a funnel cloud changes from a funnel cloud to a tornado."

The last time a tornado hit the Vancouver area was back in April 5th, 1972. That tornado was more severe, a level F-2. It flattened buildings, threw boats onto land, and sent massive amounts of debris flying. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.