http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=3122561&nav=5kZPXsjz
http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=3122561&nav=5kZPXsjz
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Flyover reveals tornado devastation March 24, 2005, 06:19 PM EST
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Miller County and Seminole County- The number of people injured in Tuesday?s tornado has climbed to 20, 14 of those injuries were in Miller County, and six were in Seminole County, where one woman was killed when the F-2 tornado slammed into her mobile home.
Photographer, Richard Coleman and I got an aerial view of the damage today.
We start off in Western Seminole County, out Highway 84, where the tornado first touched down. You can see irrigation equipment that was tossed around, trees uprooted.
As we follow the storm's path northeast, here's a house was heavily damaged, what appears to have been a shed is demolished, more trees down. Then, look at this devastation - this mobile home park on Old Jakin Road, where 34-year Mary Burrington old was killed. Her home obviously took a direct hit and exploded. All that's left is scattered debris.
At least half dozen mobile homes destroyed. It's safe to say had this tornado come through in the middle of the night, with all these people sleeping, we would have likely seen a much higher injury and death toll.
We followed the storm's path to the northeast now in Seminole County, and the tornado left a clear path you can see in the trees along the road. Now look at all those pine trees just laid down like toothpicks. This tornado was about a half mile wide.
We continue northeast and catch a glimpse of what you could consider a lucky family. All around their house is destruction, but the house itself is still standing. But this one isn't.
And look at this house... gone. The brick stairs to the house now lead to nowhere, just a pile of rubble. Obviously another direct hit.
More twisted irrigation equipment and across this field, a house that luckily only sustained some roof damage. Trees are down all over the place, and these are huge trees.
Now we approach another farmhouse in Miller County, where you can see another damaged shed, downed trees and twisted metal and debris. Power crews line the roads in Miller County working to restore electricity.
Another Miller County home on Highway 91 looks like a bomb went off. The house itself with some roof damage and just up the road, the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness with some roof damage as well. More utility crews line highway 91 the major road connecting Miller and Seminole Counties.
This shot gives you an idea of how spread out this rural area is and it's a good thing. Had this been a heavily populated area, again, I think we would be seeing a lot more injuries possibly deaths.
Now you see more farm equipment, sheds and mangled equipment. These trees clearly show the path of the storm. You can tell from all this insulation that used to be a mobile home. It's truly amazing that here weren't more people injured or killed. This was a strong tornado that cut a half-mile wide path on the ground for roughly 15 to 20 miles.
Thankfully, much of the area in its path was farmland. As we approach this house, you see there's a workshop or at least there was a workshop out back. It too apparently took a direct hit. You can see there's nothing left. Heavy tool chests are still upright but the shed basically imploded. And over here this house amazingly stands surrounded by destruction.
Now we approach another house where the top was ripped off, trees everywhere and look to the left of the house. In this rural area at lot of homes are out buildings and sheds, so many of them now gone.
Early damage estimates are at ten million dollars and that's expected to increase.
