In this area, May 31, 2010 is not only the day we observe for Memorlal Day. It is also an anniversary of a day that changed this area forever. According to news reports, over the span of two hours, three tornados struck this area taking 19 lives and causing $140 million in damage. (Also check out the video above which was the best documentary of the storm)
In the picture above from another news story, it describes the memories of a skating rink that was destroyed at the time. I was in junior high at the time. I personally didn't know of this skating rink. But, in the 1980s, roller skating was a big thing (at least around here) and the news story describes that this skating rink was a very popular place to the local kids.I share my memories of that Friday night 25 years ago, in the video below. But, basically, one of the memories I have is the realization of the power that weather can have. The news article also describes this in that there was (and still is) a cemetery in the area with very tall and old trees. Following the tornado, I remember seeing on the news - and eventually in person - all of those tall trees gone. Ever since then, my anxiety level increases when I hear those tornado sirens and when I hear any kind of tornado alerts....
1 comment:
In 1989 Huntsville was hit with a tornado that killed 14 people and wiped out a wide swath of the city. I was out of residency looking to set up my dental office and was talking to a guy about renting a really nice one--The next week, there was a telephone pole horizontally through that exact office and the surrounding area was destroyed for a mile in each direction.
An elementary school was flattened and the kids there were saved by a janitor shielding them with his body under a stairwell, the only thing left of the building. I went down there the next day and saw million dollar new homes flattened. One of the strangest things was a car engine (just the engine) 40 feet up in a lollapsed power station.
Post a Comment