Tornados Hit Alabama
On 27 April, 2011 a large storm front came through Alabama. This large storm started in Mississippi ran across Alabama and finally ended the devastation in North Carolina. Alabama was the hardest hit with 310 confirmed separate tornadoes.
The worse of them all was the one that traveled from south west of Tuscaloosa through Birmingham and finally lost most of its power as it hit the northeastern corner of Alabama.
The devastation was enormous as the storms went across the state. Over one million people had lost power in the state of Alabama, and as of today, there are still over 100,000 people without homes and or power.
The hardest hit areas were Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Pell and Culman cities. Tiuscaloosa was the largest and most damaged city and has made the news all over the world. With winds from this one single tornado that traveled over 200 miles, reaching over 200 miles per hour, debris from Tuscaloosa has been found as far as north west Georgia.
As the storm came towards Birmingham, Al it was reported that the tornado had reached almost a mile and a half wide. The majority of Birmingham, was spared, however the surrounding areas of Oak Mountain, Red Mountain, Cahaba Heights, Pell and other smaller suburban towns were hit hard. Areas like Pell and Culman ended up looking like a war zone after the storm passed.
Several smaller towns are no longer present through out Alabama. Entire towns have been destroyed.
Just over a week later, after the horrendous storm, benefits and telethons continue as money is being raised to help the victims of this record breaking storm.
Some of the unspoken victims are the pets of those victims from the storms. Many pets have been lost or displaced and are just as lost as those that have lost everything. People from as far away as New York and Connecticut are lending a hand to help animals affected by the Alabama tornadoes last week. With the effort to reunite the victoms with their pets, it is estimated that close to 100 pets have been reunited with their owners so far. There are still hundreds of pets homeless at this time.
President Obama and his family toured the shattered remains of storm-ravaged neighborhoods in Tuscaloosa, AL, and offered hope and help as 19 Alabama counties and seven states attempt to recover from storms that killed more than 340 people. There are still over 250 people missing in Tuscaloosa alone.
From AP Routers, the President stated, "As you walk around, what you're struck by is peoples' resilience, they forget about their petty differences," Obama said. "We maintain our faith and look to each other to make sure we're supporting and helping each other."
On Saturday 7 May, 2011, a benefit for all the victims is taking place at the Tuscaloosa Airport. If you would like to help visit the United Way site for more information on benefits, telethons or just to donate.
