Power lines were downed and other damage done as strong winds blasted through Banner Elk with the line of storms late Friday afternoon.  Police, reporting the damage to utilities, described a very brief tornado racing over the area, that backed up by witnesses like Michelle Childers, who send the photos

and described what she saw: "Attached are pictures from the storm that hit Friday afternoon' May 13, 2011. I was at work at Vacations Plus Travel and we could see the very quick, 10 second tornado outside between the Village Shoppes and Banner Elk elementary around 5 pm."  No injuries were reported in the storms.  Photos show damage at and around the Banner Elk School near the center of Banner Elk.