WWA Info Exchange

Been digging out from the tornado that hit our little community late Sat night. Tore up the town pretty bad. Fire dept. building was nothing but a pile of rubble and many homes & businesses destroyed or heavily damaged. Some neighbors helped me clear our totally blocked 1/4 mile long driveway thru our woods. Still no power, but have a small genset that a neighbor loaned me for the duration. Miles of wire and power poles down. 1 death, many injured. Our house was undamaged and we're ok. Some pics of my place right after the storm.

Back porch. Big tree that luckily fell away instead of on us.


This one narrowly missed my shop and landed on my old target mower.


Built this arbor about 14 years ago.


This big old boy lost the top half.


One of a dozen or so that fell over my driveway from the house to the street a quarter mile away.



Some drone video of the main street where most of the damage was. The thing traveled from south to north and whipped east/west leaving a trail of destruction about mile wide and 10 miles long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUxfBGz6oOs

Some local news today about the cleanup, etc.

https://www.wtva.com/content/news/Churc ... 17151.html

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Gene

Glad to hear you weathered the storm, Gene. Looks like lots of folks in that path didn't fair so well! Please let us know any way we might help. Hoping you & yours stay safe and rebuild/recover without further calamity. Some of us, like Larry, have been there...done that...
Please keep us in the loop.

Don

We've got another storm moving this way - be here Thursday. We really don't need that, even if it's just a rain maker. There will be more trees fall over. There's a couple along my driveway that are leaning pretty bad already, and it won't take much to push them over.

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Gene

Gene,sounds like the good Lord was looking after you.

the bottom line is you survived.

the damage can be repaired.

Gene, how well I know what you're going through! Our town's tornado siren went off at 2 am Monday. It didn't come down, though. You may remember our house on April 28th, 2002.

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Uncle Fester WWAMDAUX#3
La Plata, Maryland
Does Anyone Have A Comb?
Home Of A Beautiful DJ 20
I Say.... BUY DELTA!!
10,000 posts--Easter Sunday, 2008--7:43pm

I do recall that pic, and you talking about it. Long time ago.

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Gene

"This one narrowly missed my shop and landed on my old target mower."

And yet it still works as well as it ever did.

Glad to hear that you were able to avoid the Dorothy Gales ride. Keep us posted on the recovery.

Cheers,
Tom

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"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

Other than the 130+ families that are suddenly homeless, and the loss of our VFD building, our Clinic, and several other small businesses, the biggest problem is restoring power to a couple thousand people. We're still operating on a small genny, but not capable of running much more than the fridge and freezer, and a couple other small things - like this pc. So no hot water or stove, etc. We've been cooking on my outdoor grill and eating burgers and subway's. At least I can keep the beer cold.

There are many folks and churches that are providing shelter and food, etc. for those who need it, and the State Emer. Management, utility co. and other organizations are working pretty much 24/7, but are spread pretty thin around the State - 19 counties were effected.

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Gene

Gene,
I'm sure you keep a firearm handy. It's times like these that bring out the best and the worst in some folks.

Zulu

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Zulu's website
http://www.jmelledge.com

More than one. We both carry. Nothing new because of this storm.

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Gene

Leave this one on the front porch.
Zulu

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Zulu's website
http://www.jmelledge.com

Love to have one, but I think there were only 1 or 2 made. For obvious reasons.

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Gene

Glad to hear you are OK Gene. That is some scary stuff.

ron

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"To all those who work come moments of beauty unseen by the rest of the world." Norman Maclean

You know what's really scary? I slept right thru it. Didn't know anything until the next morning.

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Gene