Posted on 11/11/2002 3:46:10 AM PST by blam
Alabama twister kills at least 10; 50 injured
By JAY REEVES
The Associated Press
11/11/02 5:18 AM
CARBON HILL, Ala. (AP) -- A nighttime swarm of tornadoes and powerful thunderstorms belted Alabama, killing at least 10 people and injuring at least 50 others.
Officials feared the casualty toll would rise as daybreak revealed the extent of the devastation.
Walker County Deputy Coroner Bob Green said seven people were killed near Carbon Hill, where giant hardwood trees crashed down on small houses and mobile homes.
"I reckon about a third of the town is gone," said Terry Murray, part of a tree crew surveying the extent of the damage.
The smell of broken pine trees and oaks filled the early morning air as police stood watch outside the elementary school, where part of the roof was peeled away by the high winds and windows were blown out.
Green was at the scene where the bodies of two women were found beside a road.
"They were laying down off the side," he said. "It was bad. Carbon Hill had a bad time."
Besides the dead from Carbon Hill, located about 70 miles northwest of Birmingham, two more people died in western Walker County, he said.
A tenth person was killed in Cherokee County near the Georgia line, said Beverly Daniel, assistant director for emergency management services. Officials said at least five people in the county were seriously injured.
The National Weather Service reported at least a half-dozen tornadoes in Alabama. The twisters were part of an outbreak that killed more than two dozen people in Alabama, Tennessee and Ohio.
The tornado hit Carbon Hill about 7:15 p.m. Sunday. Numerous homes and several businesses were damaged.
Downed trees, power lines and sheet metal from mobile homes blocked roadways as emergency crews started the cleanup in the predawn hours. The sound of chainsaws was everywhere.
Randall Garrison's house was damaged, but it can be repaired. Some of his neighbors were not as fortunate.
"Two mobile homes beside us are gone," said Garrison, who was on his way home from a night worship service when the storm struck. "My two outbuildings are blown away. The house right beside me, it took off its foundation. I thank God he had me at church."
In neighboring Fayette County, at least 10 homes were destroyed and trees blocked roads, said Treasa Willcutt, emergency management director. She said witnesses reported that a tornado did the damage.
Patty Poe, a spokeswoman for Walker Baptist Medical Center, said 42 people from Walker and Winston were treated, and at least three patients in critical condition were sent to University Hospital in Birmingham.
An emergency room nurse at Fayette Medical Center said three patients were being treated there for minor injuries.
About 16,000 people were left without power in Fayette, Walker, Winston and Cullman counties, according to Alabama Power Co.
In the community of Fern Bank in neighboring Lamar County on the Mississippi line, Emergency Management Director Ralph Harrison said strong winds or possibly a tornado knocked trees onto cars and took out power lines. He said one house had its roof blown off.
Tornado advisories were still in effect for the central and southern part of the state early Monday.
Sorry, don't know. It's probably a little early. It's daybreak here presently.
Same here. The temperature has dropped about 20 degrees in the last hour.
Boy howdy!! I've been watching Fox and listening to Rush.
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