COLCHESTER, NY — A camper was killed on Sunday as a microburst ripped through Russell Brook Campsites in the Town of Colchester.

Carol E. Luistro of Edison, NJ, died on the scene of the natural disaster, according to the Town of Colchester Police Department.

At approximately 10:50 a.m. on June 30, the Delaware County 911 Center received “multiple reports of trees down on campers at multiple locations,” with one person trapped at Russell Brook, according to the Colchester police.

“Enroute to the call, Fire, EMS and Law units encountered numerous trees and power lines down secondary to a strong storm that had moved through the area,” the police reported on Facebook. “First Responders arrived at the campground and found multiple trees and powerlines down and a female who had been struck by a fallen tree.”

Luistro was inside a camper when a large tree fell on it, pinned her underneath the camper, police said. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Roscoe Rockland Fire Department, one of the many responders to the incident, posted on its site: “We would like to thank everybody reached out to us, or sent well wishes our way as we dealt with today’s weather event. 

“We worked alongside several agencies today and would like to thank everybody for their assistance and professionalism. Please keep those affected by today’s events in your thoughts and prayers.”

When first reporting to the incident, Eastern Dutchess County Fire and Rescue referred to the weather event as a “tornado touchdown.” But the National Weather Service in Binghamton confirmed that the storm was a microburst, not a tornado, with winds reaching 90 mph.

The NWS says a microburst is “a localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm and is usually less than or equal to 2.5 miles in diameter. Microbursts can cause extensive damage at the surface, and in some instances, can be life-threatening.”

Microbursts release intense downward winds, while tornadoes are rotating funnel clouds that maintain ground contact.