(Newser)
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Trees were toppled, cars mangled and roofs ripped off houses when the first tornado in 118 years ripped through Brooklyn yesterday in the midst of a vicious storm that pummeled New York. Winds clocked speeds of 135 mph. "I thought it was 'The Wizard of Oz,'" said a stunned homeowner.
More than 40 buildings were shredded. The twister wreaked so much damage on a local park that it "looked like the site of a World War II artillery battle," said the parks commissioner. The twister was part of storm system that dumped close to 3 inches of rain on the city and brought subways to a screeching halt.
