oceanblueeyes
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FULTONDALE —A teenager sheltering in his basement was killed and several family members were critically injured when a tornado blew a tree onto their Alabama home, police said Tuesday.
Many others narrowly escaped with their lives. At least 30 people were injured as the twister carved a 10-mile (16 kilometer) path of destruction Monday night in the northern suburbs of Birmingham, an area severely damaged by a much larger tornado a decade ago.
“We ran in the bathroom, got down in the tub and covered over with some towels and then in about two minutes it was all over,” said Tim Herring, who said he and his wife Patti had just moments to prepare.
“I had to push a bunch of boards off of me and some sheetrock. We got out and my wife said, ‘We don’t have a roof.’ I walked in the hallway and said, ‘We ain’t got no walls either.’ I said, ‘We’re lucky to be alive, Patti,’” Tim Herring said.
Pieces of buildings, furniture, appliances and trees were strewn about and vehicles came to rest in awkward positions, as if a child had scattered a collection of Matchbox cars. One car landed upside down against tree branches on a large pile of debris.
The teen was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday morning, and several of his family members were critically injured when their home collapsed, trapping them in the basement, Fultondale police Chief D.P. Smith said.
UPDATE: 1 dead, 30 injured as tornado rips Alabama community
I was closely watching the Weather Channel yesterday hoping these ferocious tornadoes would lift up, and spare precious lives.
The one in the Birmingham area seemed surreal. It stayed on the ground it seemed forever. The debris field tracker showed it was going to be devastating for lives, and property damage. It's still shocking to see what these killer tornadoes can do leaving them looking like war zones.
I pray for all who were in the path of these monster tornadoes.
Being from Georgia I've seen what tornadoes can do in my own area. I've lived in SW Georgia all of my life, and I'm still terrified of bad weather as I was as a small child. We are known as Tornado Alley. We have suffered greatly from tornadoes. We also have had destructive straight line winds ripping up thousands of huge oaks, pines, and massive pecan trees during just one of those straight line wind storms.
Usually we are spared from hurricanes yet when Hurricane Alberto hovered over us it caused multiple loss of life, and massive destruction of property when we had the 1994 500 year old flood. It took us over a decade to fully recover.
Then we were struck when Hurricane Michael came inland right over the top of us at 100 MPH in 2018. It also caused major damages
It leaves you holding your breath when another tornado or hurricane is in your area.
I'm so afraid we are going to face many monster tornadoes this year. We've only just begun.
I'm praying for everyone in Birmingham, and Newnan which is a beautiful town. Like always the communities will come out in full force to help every one in need. Helping others in need is what we do best.
Jmho