Violent weather kills one in New Hampshire

DEERFIELD, N.H., July 25 (UPI) -- A violent storm cut a swath through parts of central New Hampshire, killing at least one woman, injuring 12 and damaging at least 100 homes, officials said.

In Massachusetts, where driving rains and wind slowed Thursday's morning commute to a crawl, state police said a man was killed in a head-on collision, the Boston Herald reported Friday.

Officials said the woman was killed when a possible tornado touched down near Northwood Lake Thursday, crushing a two-story house where she lived near Deerfield, the New Hampshire Union-Leader in Manchester reported.

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch declared a state of emergency in five counties, the Boston Globe said. Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said they will assess the damage.

"This was a highly destructive storm, causing a tremendous amount of damage in a short period of time," Lynch said.

Authorities said they were monitoring the Connecticut, Pemigewasset and Saco rivers for potential flooding.

Of the 11 communities in the central portion of the state, Epsom, Deerfield and Northwood were the hardest hit, officials said.

"It was mass destruction in just 20 minutes," Epsom Selectman Chairman Bob Blodgett said. "It's just turmoil. Devastation. You wouldn't believe just one person lost their life."