Huge tornado rips through Pfizer plant in North Carolina

Footage from above shows the aftermath of the tornado at a Pfizer pharmaceutical plant

A tornado ripped through a major Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in the US on Wednesday, injuring 13 people, according to local reports.

Pfizer confirmed that the large manufacturing complex was damaged by a twister that touched down shortly after midday in North Carolina, but said it had no reports of serious injuries.

A later company statement said all employees were safely evacuated and accounted for.

Parts of roofs were ripped open atop its massive buildings and large quantities of medicine were tossed about, according to local sheriff Keith Stone.

Citizens capture the tornado on camera

“I’ve got reports of 50,000 pallets of medicine that are strewn across the facility and damaged through the rain and the wind," Mr Stone said.

The plant produces anesthesia and other drugs as well as nearly 25% of all sterile injectable medications used in US hospitals, Pfizer said on its website.

Erin Fox, senior pharmacy director at University of Utah Health, said the damage “will likely lead to long-term shortages while Pfizer works to either move production to other sites or rebuilds.”

The National Weather Service said in a tweet that the damage was consistent with an EF3 tornado with wind speeds up to 150 mph (240 kph).

Three homes owned by Brian Varnell and his family members in the nearby Dortches area were damaged, and he said he is thankful they are all alive.

His sister and her children hid in their home's laundry room, he told WRAL-TV.

“They got where they needed to be within the house and it all worked out for the best," Mr Varnell said near a home that was missing exterior walls and a large chunk of the roof.

It comes as extreme temperatures continue to scorch the US, especially in Arizona and Nevada.

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