PHARSALIA – The National Weather Service confirmed Friday that a tornado struck Pharsalia Thursday and left a path of destruction about eight miles long across the rural countryside.

Representatives from National Weather Service in Binghamton visited the region Friday and later confirmed a tornado with at least 115 mile an hour winds swept through the area between 3 and 3:10 a.m. Thursday.

The funnel touched ground during a severe thunderstorm that caused widespread flash flooding in the county, causing the most significant damage in the Towns of Plymouth, Pharsalia and McDonough, according to Chenango County Emergency Management Office.

Emergency crews were still assessing the damage left by the flooding at Red Mill Hill Bridge in the City of Norwich Monday.

“The bridge is basically being held in place by a single carrier beam, after it lost the other. It suffered severe damage by the rising waters Thursday and could collapse. The fear is the debris will create a dam along the Cansawacta Creek which could impact local residents,” said county Emergency Management Director Matt Beckwith.

He added that crews stationed at the site will monitor the bridge throughout the day.

Beckwith said significant rainfall forecast for later Monday evening and Tuesday is also a concern.