Well, it's been 16 years since the last one, so I guess we were due for another tornado? This one was worse than anyone can remember. I've heard from my family and they're okay, houses intact, thank goodness, but a lot of people and property were not so fortunate. I wouldn't mind hearing from my other hometown buddies - y'all okay? Families safe, houses still there?
The Arkansas Times has a photo gallery of damage. You can see Main Street, the courthouse, the middle school, and on the second page of photos there are some especially impressive and awful-looking aerial shots of damaged areas - large trees laid flat like grass, foundations of houses swept clean. Basically, your classic "holy cow" tornado aftermath pictures. It's been strange going through them to see if I can identify any houses of people I know. It's not going to be the same around there for awhile.
While looking at the photos, I remembered a teacher telling me sometime during middle school that our building was one of the best places in the county to be during a tornado: the main part was built back in the 40s (if I recall the date) with steel reinforced concrete and just very solid. It looks like it sustained some significant damage, but indeed, the main structure held up very well.
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Mom and dad are good. They were in the basement. Russ's family ran to their storm cellar just in time. Both of their homes and properties only sustained minimal damage. Lee had a bit of a scare (I wrote about it on my blog). He was in Walmart when it hit. Yikes.
It's just so sad. Glad your family is safe. Thanks for posting about them.
Kristy, I'm glad both your families have basements/cellars and Lee was okay! My brother drove to WalMart to check on his jeep and he said it was pretty crazy over there. (The jeep was in the shop to be fixed, but due to storm damage it's totaled now.) Honestly, looking at the pictures I'm amazed that more people weren't hurt and killed. They're tentatively rating it as an EF3 - and I'd say a very strong one within that range (up to 165 mph winds). Lots of guardian angels on the job, I guess. Recovery is going to take awhile, though.
I agree. I can't believe there weren't more injuries. And, actually, we found out today the Lee Story was worse than we'd realized from his text messages. Lee HAD BEEN in Walmart - apparently they'd herded everybody to the freezers when the sirens went off. But then they "cleared" everybody to leave, so he went out and got in his truck to go home. And THAT'S when the tornado hit the parking lot. He said he heard the "train" and had just enough time to whip under that car wash area there by Walmart, before his truck was tossed around under the awning. Poor boy! He said he darn near wet his pants! I can only imagine how awful it was to be out there in that insanity. Like you said, guardian angels working overtime.
Yikes! I'm so glad your family is OK!
I can't imagine how much destruction there is. I looked as some of the pictures on the link you posted. It's hardly recognizable. My dad's family was safe and didn't sustain much damage and i'm thankful! Glad all of your family was safe!
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