Tornado

**RedSidedSPR** · 04-18-2011, 04:44 PM

You may have noticed my absence... Don't answer that. Here's why:

You may have read about the tornado in NC. We just happened to be in the middle of it. Saturday evening, we saw the tornado warning, and got prepared. (looking back, we obviously should have been a lot more prepared) 20 minutes later the sky got dark, the rain was going sideways, and it suddenly got loud. We didn't have a basement so we just waited it out in the hallway (again, had no idea the stuff going on outside was this bad). The noise stopped and my dads friend called him and asked if we were alright, and told us it was past. We went to the window (shattered) and... Whoa. The first thing we saw was the HUGE tree in the back uprooted and on its side. Kinda scary because if it had fallen 90degrees more toward the house... yikes. One tree crushed our land lords barn.
The front yard was no better. The woods in the back... no longer woods. So far I've counted over 100 trees down.
We lost power for two days. That includes our wireless, so no computer until today. Also no heat lamp for my snake. Hopefully didn't make him think it's winter.
This'll be expensive, but... not for us. That's the beauty of renting

There were four huge trees that could have DESTROYED the house, but by some miracle, the house was UNTOUCHED!!! (except for some shingles).
The huge tree in the back missed the cars by inches.

These pics only show a fraction of of the damage.

One of the big trees in the front

Another in the front

The driveway... kinda cool.

This used to be the woods...

We were a lot better off than the neighborhood behind us, though. 12 were killed. One house completely gone. So was the Lowes store.

**Sonya610** · 04-18-2011, 04:52 PM

Wow...you were at ground zero! Glad to hear your family made it though okay. Yes I read about the Lowe's store.

We had a few deaths around here a week ago during the storms. I live in a rural area like you do and there is an old cemetery 1/4 mile down the road, 5 small kids from one family killed by "cyclone" circa 1868 which always makes me realize it can happen here too.

Once again glad you and all of yours were spared. Good thing yall didn't realize how bad it was, the sound of a "train coming" without real protection has to be one of the most terrifying moments a person can go through.

**guidofatherof5** · 04-18-2011, 04:52 PM

Glad your family is safe.
Our prayers to everyone.

**Mommy2many** · 04-18-2011, 05:04 PM

Those are some scary pictures. I am so happy you are all ok. In times like those, we are at Mother Nature's mercy.

**infernalis** · 04-18-2011, 05:34 PM

wow!! Glad you are OK.

we got hit by some of the tail winds here..

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gart...tml#post157452 the post I just made before reading this.

**sirtalis01** · 04-18-2011, 07:04 PM

Wow glad u n ur love ones r ok...the pix reminded me when we got hit a few months a go...

**PINJOHN** · 04-19-2011, 02:43 AM

WOW you were lucky and then some, feel so sorry for those folk's standing in front of whats left of their home, life these days seems to be just a continuous report of extreme natural events from all over the world.