Tornado outbreak tears through the South
Emma Pritchett wipes a tear away in her roofless kitchen the day after a tornado hit, Monday, April 13, 2020, in Chatsworth, Ga. Severe weather has swept across the South, killing multiple people and damaging hundreds of homes from Louisiana into the Appalachian Mountains. Many people spent part of the night early Monday sheltering in basements, closets and bathroom tubs as sirens wailed to warn of possible tornadoes. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Late Sunday night, Cleveland and surrounding areas were devastated by severe storms and one confirmed tornado, leading to at least two confirmed deaths in Hamilton County and area-wide power outages.
The storms, which caused widespread damage in Tennessee and Georgia, rolled in close to midnight and continued to rage until early Monday morning.
Director of Bradley County Emergency Management Agency Troy Spence told the Cleveland Daily Banner at least 15 individuals were rescued from damaged or destroyed homes in the city as of early Monday.
Chattanooga saw at least 150 homes and buildings impaired and a reported 14 injuries thus far.
In a Monday morning press conference, Chattanooga Fire Department Chief Phil Hyman addressed the destruction and urged residents to stay in their homes as clean-up procedures take place.
“We want to keep people safe,” Hyman said. “If you can stay in your homes, please stay in your homes. If you have a need, call us. If you have an emergency, dial 911. If you have a non-emergency, you can call our non-emergency number.”
Congressman Chuck Fleischmann released a statement on Twitter, noting the disaster and highlighting the positive response from the community.
“Our area was just dealt a terrible blow, with many businesses and individuals already struggling to deal with the effects of COVID-19, and we now have the added challenge of rebuilding after devastating tornadoes,” Fleischmann wrote. “In the face of the adversity, we always come together to help our neighbors; no one in this community is alone in their struggle. My staff and I stand ready at every step of the way to help our community to get back on its feet.”
The mixture of heavy rain and high winds caused flash floods around Cleveland, evoking the flooding of Mouse Creek and the Cleveland Greenway. According to the Cleveland Daily Banner, the tornado itself impacted the East Cleveland area, which “included 6th Street, Lowery Street, Lang Street and Ridgeview Drive, among others.”
Bradley County Mayor Kevin Brooks asked for prayers during this time via Twitter and cited the blessing of no causalities in the area.
“Asking for prayers for @Cleveland_TN,” Brooks wrote. “Tremendous structure damage. Thankfully, no fatalities.”
According to AP News, the storms brought devastation to a majority of the South and killed at least 30 people in Mississippi and northwest Georgia.
Vice President for Student Development Dr. Mike Hayes said no Lee students were severely impacted by Sunday night’s storms as of yet.
“We’ve kept our ears to the ground and haven’t heard anything of a severe nature,” Hayes said. “We are continuing to follow up with a few students who are having difficulty communicating due to the storm damage.”
Director of Residential Life and Housing Jarad Russel said safety precautions were taken for those occupying the dorms the night of the inclement weather.
“In expectation of the weather, each RD set up a way to communicate with the few students they have in their building,” Russel said. “Once the tornado warning was issued, we instructed students to take shelter. Once the warning had passed, we allowed students to head back to their rooms.”
Freshman business finance major Rachel Jarvis, who was on campus during the tornado warning, said she felt safe during the storm thanks to the work of her Resident Director and Campus Security.
“Cheryl, our RD, kept us updated through text, [and] we all met on the first floor until the tornado was over,” Jarvis said. “We kept really calm, and the building didn’t take any hits, so we felt really safe.”
For information on how to donate or help with relief efforts, visit csarmy.org.
