<p>[Southern</a> storms: ‘I don’t know how anyone survived’ - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/28/severe.weather/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1]Southern”>http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/28/severe.weather/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1)</p>
<p>Keep your CC friends living in this area in your thoughts today.</p>
<p>We had an EF3 tornado run through about a mile and a half north of my house two weeks ago. Drove through afterwards, it was devastating. I can only imagine how those people in Alabama and Georgia are feeling; the images look terrible on TV. </p>
<p>Thoughts/prayers to the victims. 247 people killed…ridiculous.</p>
<p>Prayers for everyone affected by these horrible storms…</p>
<p>I just checked my daughters boyfriends family who live in Huntsville. No power, but OK.
Prayers go out to those with friends & family weathering these awful storms</p>
<p>Univ of Alabama, in Tuskaloosa, is still without power. All the cafeterias were to reopen today, but only one opened. Classes are cancelled through tomorrow, but finals are next week. They’re using the rec center, running on generators, to house some of the homeless. They’re asking for volunteers for search and rescue. I think they need to cancel finals and call it a year.</p>
<p>Absolutely stunning photos on the Tuskaloosa facebook page. <a href=“Redirecting...”>Redirecting...;
<p>[Photos:</a> Deadly storms sweep across the U.S.](<a href=“Photos: Aftermath of deadly storms in Alabama”>Photos: Aftermath of deadly storms in Alabama)</p>
<p>Here’s a small sample of the devastation to the area.</p>
<p>as per UA thread, all finals cancelled, graduation postponed…</p>
<p>prayers are with everyone in the south today…</p>
<p>This is really horrible. They are saying some of those tornadoes were f5. Unbelievable.</p>
<p>My heart goes out to everyone touched by this disaster.</p>
<p>We had visited Tuscaloosa few years ago on the BBQ tour of the south and enjoyed it. I hope the little breakfast place (Waysider I think) and the old Dreamland BBQ are both OK. And sympathy to all those impacted by that massive storm.</p>
<p>We are very fortunate in Metro Atlanta. The devastation in surrounding areas is unbelievable. Lots of friends with children at Bama – it was a long day for them.</p>
<p>Power seems to be out across all of N. Alabama.</p>
<p>The destruction in the NW part of GA is also unbelievable.</p>
<p>One of our employees in Alabama (northern) lost his 24 year old son. Falling tree. So sad.</p>
<p>My thoughts and prayers are with all of those who are in living in the paths of those tornados. So much damage…so many people involved.</p>
<p>The scary thing is, tornado season just started. Summer’s not even begun, which is when tornados are normally most numerous and lethal. We’ve been getting a record amount of tornadic activity in my area of SE Virgina, NE North Carolina. It seems the world’s weather is becoming more and more unstable in recent years.</p>
<p>Has anybody heard from M2CK? Or RobD? I think they have kids who go there, and I think M2 actually lives down there.</p>
<p>I hope all their ‘people’ are all right.</p>
<p>Rob’s dd is safe at home. Check out the 2014 thread for more details.</p>
<p>Please keep in mind that recovery will take a very long time for the communities hit by these monster tornadoes. There will likely be a lot of volunteers at first, but then folks will get busy with their own lives and forget. If you can’t do something to help right away, don’t feel as if you won’t be able to make a difference at all.</p>
<p>Also, if you are able to make a monetary donation and don’t have a favored charity in mind, consider looking up the volunteer fire departments and other organizations that are the first responders, as well as long term providers of assistance (such as shelters and food banks), in the smaller towns. Tuscaloosa is getting a lot of press, but other places such as Cordova, Harvest, McDonald Chapel, Ohatchee, Phil Campbell, and Toney (all in Alabama) need help also. </p>
<p>Our family was very fortunate. One of our kids is back with us due to power outages, but no damage was sustained so the only loss so far is perishable food. We’ll drive back once power is restored there to make sure the house is safe and to help clean up. Some friends weren’t as lucky. Damage has ranged from a tree/tree limb through the roof to a house, its contents and all vehicles being totally destroyed. We’ve been able to account for everyone we know in the affected areas and have only heard about minor injuries among our friends. </p>
<p>A man who lived near our previous house was killed after the storm when he was outdoors with neighbors cleaning up and a tree limb fell on him. We’re very glad that we paid to remove several trees last year, because I’m certain that at least one of them would have ended up in our kitchen or family room. Aside from the tornadoes, there were storms with straight line winds up to 100 mph. In our area, the warnings began about 5 a.m. and continued nearly all day and evening.</p>
<p>Bike helmets and new crank radios are on order for all family members. Dd couldn’t find either of hers when the tornado was approaching. Like a lot of folks, she’d become careless about reacting when the sirens sounded and wasn’t too concerned. We were in our basement, watching some very scary live coverage, and saw the projected path shift slightly toward her neighborhood with an estimated impact time of 12 minutes. She had no power and no idea what was happening. Cell phone coverage was unreliable, but we were finally able to get through on her land line to warn her to get into her bathtub immediately with pillows/cushions on top of her. The tornado then tracked slightly north of her, apparently lifting a little as it did. Not very far away, it touched down and did astonishing damage.</p>