A mother captured the emotional and terrifying moment as she watched a tornado rip through her neighbour's house, and then assessing the damage in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

The mother ran to take cover with her husband and five kids on May 18, saying: "I tried to comfort the kids who were crying and terrified, when I myself was scared and trying to be strong for my kids."

She found large trees knocked down onto the neighbours house, barely missing their home as her husband ran to check on the neighbour where emotions ran high as this "is when the panic hit me and just how close to a direct hit we came."

May 18, 2019 Tornado in Fort Smith, Arkansas USA. My family is huddled in the hall while I peek out the front door to see the tornado passing over my nextdoor neighbors house. I ran to the hall as it passed over, joining my husband, 5 kids, a dog and 2 cats. I tried to comfort the kids who were crying and terrified, when I myself was scared and trying to be strong for my kids. Very scary.

A tornado touched down in my neighbors yard and this is my first time looking outside after it hit. Raw emotions, I didn't know if my elderly neighbor was dead or alive at this point. My husband was running to check on him through the front door as I looked out back. This is when the panic hit me and just how close to a direct hit we came. (My neighbor is fine and nobody was killed)

Aftermath of a tornado and surveying the damage the following morning. The tornado hit next door to my house.