Way Too Close!!

Last Thursday, Hurricane Debbie struck way too close to home!
And did strike my neighbors!!

At about 6:30 pm, that crazy alarm on my phone sounded. The one that ripples the spine and scares ya to death. I was alone. My husband was volunteering at the local Back to School night. My phone indicated that we were under a tornado warning and conditions had been spotted 20 miles south of us moving in our direction. It was to hit near us around 6:55. It warned us to take cover in a basement or interior room of the house/building.

I casually looked up the difference between “watch” and a “warning” since even in an emergency, I can’t remember!!

Quickly, I surmised I was being warned of an impending tornado. I’ve taken cover before in my life. Once in a coat closet with a six-year-old visiting our home, trying very nonchalantly to make it a game! The tornado hit 15 miles from us.

This time, I was vacillating between “oh it’s just rain” and “should I scramble to the bathroom” which is the only windowless room in our house.

Seconds later, I felt that very calm, I’ve heard talked about before a storm worsens or hits and I high tailed it to the bathroom. A few minutes in, I remembered my stove was on. I scurried out of the bathroom to run and turn things off. When I entered the hall, I faced the sliding glass doors. It was a scary sight. It was black as midnight outside!! A few minutes earlier, it was rainy but still light outside: ominous, foreboding. I slapped that oven off and returned to the bathroom. I called my daughter, who encouraged me to grab my iPhone charger! I grabbed it from room next door. Glancing outside confirmed the blackness that still enveloped me!

We talked on the phone till the storm passed. But, I never heard the “train whistle”. Others in the direct hit of the tornado reported hearing it! I could hear limbs falling and winds, but we’d had those before. Our neighborhood around the lake is a very treed environment. Limbs came down all the time with winds and storms.

Right after the winds died down some, our power flickered. I knew what was coming. When trees go down, our power usually follows, since our lines are above ground. Around 7 pm, we lost power. Shortly after, people started checking on me saying our neighborhood had a tornado hit!

And It Did!!

Our home sits at a T in the road. The road up from us is where the edge of the tornado stopped about six lots from us!! It’s width continued back through to the street behind ours and covered about 1.75 miles of destruction!

When my husband got home, he said the power companies and police were insisting everyone stay in their houses due to “live lines” laying on the ground covered by downed trees. Many roads were blocked due to trees.

Here is a map of the path and strength of the tornado.

About 10 houses are uninhabitable due to trees crashing through their roofs and siding. Many cars were destroyed by falling trees. Most of these trees were not uprooted but twisted off, a very weird sight.

We regained power the next morning around 6 am, not everyone in the neighborhood got it back that quickly! The next day, the neighbors showed up in force with chain saws and muscle strength to try and clear paths for people. Roads and driveways were totally covered with trees. We really do have the kindest neighbors!

I am so happy to report, there were no casualties or even serious injuries as a result of the storm. People heeded the warnings and took cover!!

Let me give you a piece of wisdom … next time your phone sounds out a warning that scares the life out of you … LISTEN TO IT!

Heed the warning!!

Unwanted life changing events could be about to visit!

Anybody else have a piece of wisdom to share today?

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