April 27, 2011

This was a day that changed the lives of many people in the state of Alabama.  Early that morning, Jackson, Queenie and I found ourselves sitting in the laundry room because of the threat of a tornado.  I was dressed for work and had just gotten Jackson up and changed.  We sat in the laundry room for about 5 minutes because the storm was moving so fast.  As it past, I could here the doors in the house rattling.  After the storm passed, I found that rain has blown in under one of our doors and through the doorknob.  Our neighborhood had suffered no damage with the exception of a few missing shingles, etc...nothing compared to what would happen over the course of the day.  At this point, I didn't realize the damage that had occurred only 2 neighborhoods over from us.  I found out that many homes were damaged, power lines mangled, and the steeple blown off our church (along with other damage).  MK called and said a tree had landed on the corner of her house.  Amanda texted to see if we were ok.  Texted Mary to see if she was ok.  Everyone was ok!!!  For which we are very thankful.  I had to report to work for a couple of hours even though we had no power there.  We were sent home early because of the power issue as well as the threat of an even worse storm headed our way in the afternoon.  Later that evening as more and more tornadoes were spawned and a huge path of destruction was being created across the state, we were sitting at home watching debris fall from the sky.  There were reports of this debris coming from as far as away as Tuscaloosa.  The path of April's Fury storm was enormous.  There were over 263 tornadoes reports in 6 states on that day - 23 in Alabama.  A couple of in Alabama were reported to be F4 and F5s.  Nineteen counties in Alabama were affected, 250+ people dead, over 300 still missing, over 5,000 homes and businesses in Tuscaloosa destroyed.

Our hearts are heavy for the people in all areas across Alabama.  Many lives lost and even more lives changed forever.  Here are some of the pictures from Moody:

 From AL.com on Monday, May 2:

"As National Weather Service teams continue Tuesday to survey the damage from last week's storms, the number of confirmed tornadoes climbed Monday to 23 statewide.  Government analysts said Monday there were 362 tornadoes nationwide during last week's outbreak, including a record-setting 312 in one 24-hour period.  According to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, between 8 a.m. Wednesday and the same time Thursday, 340 people were killed in the storms.  That makes April 27, 2011, the deadliest single day for tornadoes since the March 18, 1925, tornado outbreak that left 747 dead in seven states.
In Alabama, the official death toll Monday was 236 people killed in the storms, according to the state Emergency Management Agency. Another 2,219 people were injured. Spokeswoman Yasamie August said the state agency was double-checking fatality reports from its county emergency management directors.
As the share of Alabama that came under federal disaster area declaration broadened to 36 counties Monday, Gov. Robert Bentley planned to address the tornado damage during a joint session of the Legislature Tuesday at 6 p.m.  Charities, businesses and individuals continued to reach out Monday to help provide for those who had lost everything in the storms. Among visitors to the area was controversial actor Charlie Sheen, who toured Tuscaloosa to survey the damage and drum up help for storm victims.
The storms that swept across the state and the south Wednesday included an EF-5 twister, the strongest of tornadoes, which killed at least 26 people when 200 mph winds swept across 132 miles, from Marion County into Tennessee.  "That's as big as it gets; that occurs rarely in the history books," climatologist John Christy said. "It's one of those systems that only comes along every few decades."
Reports from weather service storm survey teams painted a disturbing picture of the devastating power of those storms.  An EF-4 tornado swung through Greene, Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties, killing 65 people and leaving an 80-mile-long path of destruction in Alabama. That storm system started in Newton, Miss. and ended 7½ hours later after traveling a total of 380 miles to Macon County, North Carolina.  Two EF-4 tornadoes left large swaths of destruction in central Alabama, killing at least 12 people.  One passed through Cordova, destroyed two mobile homes and a house, flipped a bulldozer, tossed a pickup truck 200 yards and a dump truck 50 yards -- destroying it and leaving a 2½ foot crater in the ground.  As it approached U.S. 78, the tornado tossed two more mobile homes at least 100 yards before continuing through Cullman, Marshall and Morgan counties.  A few miles north of Arab, that tornado destroyed a large storage shed, picked up the farm equipment inside and slung the large machinery 10 to 20 yards.  As it continued its violent path toward Union Grove, 190 mph winds destroyed a cinder block home and sent the debris flying more than 50 yards.  Several large trees were ripped out of the ground and haven't been found, and some concrete power poles were bent over at the base. A gas station was demolished and two pumps were ripped from the ground and are missing.  Weather service meteorologist Mary Keiser, who participated in storm surveys in Bibb and Hale counties, said it is difficult to see such destruction.  "These are people's lives," Keiser said. "You're trying to go there as a scientist, but this isn't just something you see on a radar screen."
As officials continued to tally the damage from Wednesday's tornadoes, efforts to help those affected by the storms also continued.  FEMA has awarded more than $2 million in housing assistance in Alabama, which can include rental payments for temporary housing for people whose homes are un-livable, grants for home repairs, or replacement of essential household items to make the damaged building safe, sanitary and functional, FEMA spokeswoman Denise Everhart said.  More than $1 million also has been awarded for other needs assistance, including grants to pay for things such as medical, dental, funeral and transportation expenses not covered by insurance, she said.  The cost of removing debris in the city of Birmingham alone could run as high as $10 million, Mayor William Bell said Monday.  Bell imposed a curfew in parts of the city affected by last week's tornado.  People will not be allowed to enter or leave tornado-ravaged areas between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. However, reasonable exceptions will be made for residents in those areas who are traveling to or from work or school, Birmingham Police Chief. A.C. Roper said.  As of 5 p.m. Monday, 24,139 Alabama Power customers remained without power, including 10,647 in Jefferson and Shelby counties, said spokeswoman Hallie Bradley. That's down from a peak of 412,229 at the height of the storms."