Devastating Tornado Damage in Tuscaloosa

[Dallas4Bama]

didn't see this posted and wasn't sure where to put it; but nice read about Javy: Ex-Tide football star Javier Arenas survived Tuscaloosa tornado, gives back to storm victims (video) | al.com

I just love that guy. I still believe we missed him more than any other player this past year.

It's so good to see these current and former players doing the work they are for the city they called home during their college careers.

 

[CrimsonSEC]

Based on the Tide for Toomers, and then the Toomers for Tuscaloosa groups working together, getting bonded close & actually now being friends - it has been said that the Iron Bowl will never be the same, & that what WAS a bitter rivalry is becoming a FRIENDLY rivalry...and the reply to that was: "well, nooooo - it'll be more like a family reunion"... How 'bout THAT!?!? Now don't get me wrong - no one is gonna be pullin' for the other - but they can sure get along in the meantime without all that hate-stuff... BTW - ESPN is in Tuscaloosa right now to interview both T4T groups!!!

Good sentiment but the cease fire probably won't last more than a year or two IMO. With the internet and social media, there are just too many haters spouting off and getting folks riled up. I'd like to see a more friendly rivalry last myself though.

 

[BAMA1979]

Saw this in a tweet from Ivan Maisel on ESPN.com...

charitybuzz | Sports Illustrated Alabama Relief Auction to Benefit The American Red Cross

 

[BamaHoHo]

 

[silentsam74]

Zoom in on Hackleburg. 2 EF5's converged to create a dual vortex. I heard about this yesterday and was shocked.

Have you read the storm survey for that storm. Some of that stuff is just incredible. Keep in mind, this path does not even include the portion of the path through Hackleburg or anything south of Phil Campbell at all because that falls under the B'ham office's responsibilities.

A 25 FOOT SECTION OF PAVEMENT WAS SUCKED UP AND SCATTERED. CHUNKS OF THE PAVEMENT WERE FOUND IN A HOME OVER 1/3 MILE DOWN THE ROAD.

MULTIPLE MOBILE HOMES THROUGHOUT THE PATH WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED...AND THEIR MANGLED FRAMES WERE TOSSED 25 TO 50 YARDS. CARS WERE TOSSED AND DESTROYED THROUGHOUT THE PATH OF THE TORNADO...WITH ONE CAR WRAPPED AROUND A DEBARKED TREE IN PHIL CAMPBELL.

A LARGE WELL CONSTRUCTED HOME WITH EXTENSIVE ANCHORING WAS RAZED WITH DEBRIS CARRIED WELL AWAY FROM THE SITE. A CORVETTE WAS MANGLED AND THROWN A MEASURED 641 FEET. ANOTHER LARGE VEHICLE IS STILL MISSING.

ONE HOME HAD THE DEBRIS LOFTED OVER 300 HUNDRED YARDS WITH LARGE ITEMS CARRIED COMPLETELY AWAY. INTENSE GROUND SCARRING WAS NOTED IN THIS AREA. IN ADDITION...A LARGE CARGO CONTAINER WAS PICKED UP AND BLOWN APPROXIMATELY 600 YARDS AND SEVERAL CARS WERE CARRIED AIRBORNE FOR HUNDREDS OF YARDS.

National Weather Service Huntsville Alabama -- Franklin AL, Lawrence AL, Limestone AL, Madison AL, Frankin TN Tornado Survey Information

Its amazing to me that anyone survived being in the path of this.

 

[SunnySooner]

Hey y'all, I just wanted to say I'm so sorry this horrible tragedy has happened, and though I love a lot of the things our teams have in common (like crimson jerseys, awesome fans, and decades of winning), I really hate this one. So many Sooners are praying for Alabama, we've been there, we know. It will be normal again one day, hopefully sooner than later. I have absolutely no doubt in the resilience of the people of Alabama, you will come back from this. God bless you all, we will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Roll Tide.

 

[silentsam74]

We also had a multi-vortex tornado around here, although it wasn't hardly as strong (strongest point was high end EF4, 190mph). Fortunately, this one spent most of its time roaring through dense forests and low population...

A VIOLENT LONG TRACK TORNADO BEGAN ITS LIFE ABOUT 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF SECTION AS AN EF-0 TO EF-1 TORNADO WITH PEAK WIND SPEEDS OF 70 TO 90 MPH SNAPPING OR UPROOTING SEVERAL SOFT AND HARDWOOD TREES. THE TORNADO RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED TO HIGH END EF-3 TO LOW END EF-4 STRENGTH WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES WITH PEAK WIND SPEEDS OF 150 TO 170 MPH AND A PATH WIDTH OF 1/2 TO 3/4 MILE AS IT ROARED INTO AREAS NORTHEAST OF PISGAH AND NORTH OF ROSALIE. RESIDENTS INTERVIEWED REMARKED THAT THIS TORNADO WAS MULTI-VORTEX WITH UP TO THREE TORNADOES MERGING INTO ONE VERY LARGE TORNADO. THERE WAS SOME EVIDENCE OF THIS IN THE DAMAGE SWATH...BUT AN AERIAL SURVEY MAY PROVE MORE TELLING.

 

[TideMan09]

That's actually the Tuscaloosa tornado but the Hackleburg tornado traveled well over 100 miles as well. The Tuscaloosa supercell produced several strong to violent tornadoes. One stayed on the ground about 80 miles, lifted at about I-65, then dropped another that stayed on the ground for about 72 miles. This supercell stayed together for about 7 hours and 26 minutes and 380 miles.

I stand corrected..You're 100% correct NT13..So many twisters easy to get confused..I wonder if 380 miles is the longest track of a Tornado Supercell T-Storm..

 

[CrimsonCarl]

Nope, it was an EF4, but could possibly be reclassified when it's all said and done.

So far the only EF5 was the one that tracked from Smithville, MS thru Hackleburg/Phil Campbell AL and eventually went back down to EF4 until it hit Tennessee.

If the monster that came through Tuscaloosa wasn't an EF5 I'd hate to see one.

 

[RedStar]

If the monster that came through Tuscaloosa wasn't an EF5 I'd hate to see one.

That's why I keep trying to spread the word about how bad Hackleburg is. Tuscaloosa is bad, don't get me wrong, it's about as sad & dire as it can get down there, but they have built in volunteers because they have a population of 75,000, an alumni base in the 100's of thousands, and millions of fans from all walks of life, all across the country. Tuscaloosa has become the face of this devastation and aid continues to pour in from across the country. I saw yesterday where 10 semi trucks full of food were being sent to Birmingham & Tuscaloosa from an organization called "Feed the Children." That type of help isn't coming to these smaller communities.

Hackleburg has to rely on other people for help because every citizen in that town has sustained some type of loss.

99% of Hackleburg was destroyed. Over 220+ buildings were total losses, and in a town of 1,500, that's everything. Tuscaloosa will bounce back stronger than ever. I'm not sure Hackleburg will.

Some of you know the feeling that comes with having your old High School shut down. Remember how it felt when Tuscaloosa High School closed it's doors for good? A part of you is gone forever. It's that way in Hackleburg now, except it's not just their high school. It's their churches, their homes, their gas stations, their grocery stores. Nothing will ever be the same. Their way of life changed in a matter of minutes. The situation is just as bad in Phil Campbell. The people in lower Franklin & Northern Marion Co. really need some help.

 

[IM4UA]

I'm headed to Hackleburg on Saturday morning to assist with the clean-up. There is a large volunteer group going up through Hands on Birmingham. I am looking forward to helping those in need but also a little uneasy about what I will find once I get there. These smaller communities need all the help they can get.

 

[RollTide2U]

My husband and I are headed to Phil Campbell or Hackleburg Saturday. It depends on where the group we're going with decides to go, but it will be one of them, and we'll probably go to several before it's all over. I know of a few places in Florence who are taking up supplies and money for those communities because they're so close to us. We just have to make sure these tiny communities aren't forgotten, and a lot of that duty may fall to those of us who live near them. As RedStar said, these people have lost their towns - a place they loved as much as we love our towns.

I do remember that back on April 3, 1974 (I was in the 7th grade then) the little town of Guin was completely wiped off the map by an F-5 tornado. It took a long time, but that little community came back. It can and will happen, we just have to make sure these people have what they need.

 

[RollTide2U]

I'm headed to Hackleburg on Saturday morning to assist with the clean-up. There is a large volunteer group going up through Hands on Birmingham. I am looking forward to helping those in need but also a little uneasy about what I will find once I get there. These smaller communities need all the help they can get.

I'm uneasy too, IM4UA. I don't know what to expect either...

 

[BSin80]

I understand your uneasy feelings. My wife and I went to Tuscaloosa last weekend and I can tell you that it is gut wrenching to stand in the hard hit areas (Alberta City) and see destruction in every direction. That does get somewhat offset by the warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you help those in need. We are heading to Haleyville Saturday, and will probably go to Phil Campbell after Haleyville.

 

[Dallas4Bama]

That's why I keep trying to spread the word about how bad Hackleburg is. Tuscaloosa is bad, don't get me wrong, it's about as sad & dire as it can get down there, but they have built in volunteers because they have a population of 75,000, an alumni base in the 100's of thousands, and millions of fans from all walks of life, all across the country. Tuscaloosa has become the face of this devastation and aid continues to pour in from across the country. I saw yesterday where 10 semi trucks full of food were being sent to Birmingham & Tuscaloosa from an organization called "Feed the Children." That type of help isn't coming to these smaller communities.

Hackleburg has to rely on other people for help because every citizen in that town has sustained some type of loss.

99% of Hackleburg was destroyed. Over 220+ buildings were total losses, and in a town of 1,500, that's everything. Tuscaloosa will bounce back stronger than ever. I'm not sure Hackleburg will.

Some of you know the feeling that comes with having your old High School shut down. Remember how it felt when Tuscaloosa High School closed it's doors for good? A part of you is gone forever. It's that way in Hackleburg now, except it's not just their high school. It's their churches, their homes, their gas stations, their grocery stores. Nothing will ever be the same. Their way of life changed in a matter of minutes. The situation is just as bad in Phil Campbell. The people in lower Franklin & Northern Marion Co. really need some help.

Great post RedStar! Tuscaloosa has become the face of the storm to the nation, but there are a lot if hard hit areas that need help. Lots of devastated areas in north Alabama as well. Pisgah took a direct hit from an F4 and is getting no news coverage. These small towns like Hacklesberg, Phil Campbell, Pisgah, Rainsville, etc... don't have 100's of thousands of alumni ready to help and they are desperate for help. Anyone involved directly in collection or relief efforts please try to direct some resources to these areas.

 

[theBIGyowski]

I was not prepared to see our house down in Tuscaloosa demolished. We still had 4 walls and half of the house had a ceiling and of that very little of that had a roof. Debris was everywhere...and I mean everywhere with no trees left standing.

After seeing all of that for 2 days I walked around the corner to the lake (Forest Lake) and I was NOT prepared to see that. Seeing houses GONE really turned my stomach. Our only consolation was that we could save a few things from the house that weren't ruined/broke/gone. These houses on the lake were just gone. Here is an example of what used to be beautiful homes and trees by the lake...now just sidewalk and a hole in the ground.

 

[RTR91]

Here is something some of you might want to read. SIAP.

Tuscaloosa tornado experience shared in harrowing account by University of Alabama student | al.com

 

[jangalang]

SIAP, but on a bright note, Hackleburg's baseball team just advanced to the AHSAA Elite 8 in Class 1A. :BigA:

 

[BAMA1979]

I was not prepared to see our house down in Tuscaloosa demolished. We still had 4 walls and half of the house had a ceiling and of that very little of that had a roof. Debris was everywhere...and I mean everywhere with no trees left standing.

After seeing all of that for 2 days I walked around the corner to the lake (Forest Lake) and I was NOT prepared to see that. Seeing houses GONE really turned my stomach. Our only consolation was that we could save a few things from the house that weren't ruined/broke/gone. These houses on the lake were just gone. Here is an example of what used to be beautiful homes and trees by the lake...now just sidewalk and a hole in the ground.

It appears that the foundation of this home was completely ripped out of the ground and a trench was left behind. I'm not sure that a basement would have helped here.

 

[bamacon]

We are redirecting a lot of the donations to other areas Redstar and you make a good point. You have to keep in mind that Tuscaloosa is being used as the main staging area as well. A lot of the National Guard, Search and Rescue, Power, and tree services etc. are stationed at Shelton State but they are going towards Fayette and to the South and West daily. We are just as worried about the smaller communities. Also, they still have not canvassed the effected areas in Tuscaloosa, Holt, Alberta much less outside the city limits. There was also Coaling that got a 5 a.m. EF-3 wake-up call that morning. It's just a mess and its going to take time but if you can help a smaller community please do so because they do need it.