Has anyone ever rode out a tornado?

This topic was created in the Miscellaneous forum by truecap on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 and has 39 replies.

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

What was your experience? How did you cope with the aftermath?

My neighborhood has been destroyed by an F3 tornado. We have been declared a disaster zone. I'm overwhelmed, exhausted, emotional, appreciative, grateful, sad, mentally drained, devastated, hopeful, and so many more. I don't know how to handle all these feelings at once.

Profile picture of CapTenn
@CapTenn
12 Years1,000+ PostsCapricorn

Hope all is well, TC.

Is your home ok?

I'm in tornado alley but have never taken a direct hit, thankfully.

I saw the weather in East TX the last few days and I thought about you.

Just didn't know where you are specifically.

Sorry you are going through this mess, my friend.

Profile picture of rockyroadicecream
@rockyroadicecream
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by Prince_Pisces
No, because I would never be anywhere that has tornados in the first place LOL!

You seriously need to fuck off. You are not funny and nothing she has stated is funny or warrants a "LOL" response.

You are a disgusting human being. We'll be sure to save up some extra lolz for you when something horrific or traumatic happens to you, because it will happen. Karma's coming, sweetcheeks.

Trucap- I moved from Tenn right around when it started turning into a tornado zone. Just the potential for tornadoes put me on edge. Watching those clouds swirl over head, wondering if they were going to form into a funnel cloud and tear your house apart.

Fortunately, never had to deal with one directly, just the warnings and watches- those were nerve wracking as it is. I'd rather deal with an earthquake vs a tornado any day, tbh.

Is your house okay? Everyone you know okay?

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by CapTenn
Hope all is well, TC.

Is your home ok?

I'm in tornado alley but have never taken a direct hit, thankfully.

I saw the weather in East TX the last few days and I thought about you.

Just didn't know where you are specifically.

Sorry poi you are going through this mess, my friend.

lots of external damage. Roof is in bad shape. Lost my storage building and all my trees. Hole in the roof. Fences are gone. Busted windows. My next door neighbors lost their homes completely. Flattened or one room standing. My son and I were lucky.

Profile picture of Amandus
@Amandus
16 Years1,000+ PostsVirgo

I have no experience with tornadoes but I have lived through a category 5 tropical cyclone in 1997-98. My family and I were living in Guam at the time and at the time Clinton had declared it a disaster zone. The typhoon raged on for a week. Many homes, including our own, were damaged or destroyed and the entire island went without power for weeks. Thankfully, a good neighbor had a generator.

Profile picture of Amandus
@Amandus
16 Years1,000+ PostsVirgo

Posted by truecap
Amandus,

Any advice on dealing with the aftermath?

Well, I was only a kid at the time so I can't offer anything practical but I had a big family. Aside from my own immediate unit of six there were three grandmothers, one grandfather, three couples of aunts and uncles, and six cousins I was close with. I remember feeling that the situation wasn't so bad because we all had each other to lean on.

That and storms and earthquakes just seemed normal to me so I suppose I had also been steeled for what was to come.

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Thanks megabyte. The red cross is here. They have a lot of resource. And a multitude of church groups are helping out of the goodness of their hearts.

Its all these mixed feelings im having a hard time with. One minute I am strong, the next im overly emotional

Profile picture of Nala13
@Nala13
14 Years1,000+ PostsLeo

I have. Fortunately the damage was minor. A few really big trees we taken down. I think there was one person killed. The power was out for a very long time.

I have a few suggestions TC

1. For food try grilling over charcoal until the power comes back. Get together with a few neighbors.
2. Take mental breaks. If you can drive to a nearby town and see a movie just get away for an hour or two.
3. Don't pretend to be ok. It is totally ok if you are not.
4. You may have to go far to get supplies like water and gas so try to buy as much as you can.
5. I read something a couple of weeks ago that said H.O.P.E.= Hold on pain ends.

May God continue to keep you.

Profile picture of rockyroadicecream
@rockyroadicecream
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by truecap
Gotta give an A+ to emergency responders though. People have come from all over to help out.

This happened Sunday night and I still don't have power.

Random- this reminds me that I need to get my first responder re-certified. If some shit goes down, I can't help much. :/

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by aquavita8

Posted by truecap
What was your experience? How did you cope with the aftermath?

My neighborhood has been destroyed by an F3 tornado. We have been declared a disaster zone. I'm overwhelmed, exhausted, emotional, appreciative, grateful, devastated, hopeful, and so many more. I don't know how to handle all these feelings at once.

Internet is ruining your experience...

click to expand

what? Honey. Not internet. I'm in the middle of ground zero for the whole day for four sold days. I am seeing it all first hand

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by Nala13
I have. Fortunately the damage was minor. A few really big trees we taken down. I think there was one person killed. The power was out for a very long time.

I have a few suggestions TC

1. For food try grilling over charcoal until the power comes back. Get together with a few neighbors.
2. Take mental breaks. If you can drive to a nearby town and see a movie just get away for an hour or two.
3. Don't pretend to be ok. It is totally ok if you are not.
4. You may have to go far to get supplies like water and gas so try to buy as much as you can.
5. I read something a couple of weeks ago that said H.O.P.E.= Hold on pain ends.

May God continue to keep you.

thank you. That is very helpful.

Profile picture of lisabethur8
@lisabethur8
14 Years50,000+ Posts

omg sorry to hear this. I didn't know about it, until i checked the international news. Then saw the photos. I am glad there is a huge support coming over (the red cross) and many relief programs. i hope more people get together and help/support each other in the communities. if there's tornados common in the area, i understand it's best to have a basement underground for safety if yuo can't run from the tornado fast enough. (i have only seen it on tv) take care and bless, truecap.

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@Sn1p3r187
13 Years5,000+ PostsCapricorn

I'm so sorry Truecap. I can only hope you the best in this situation. I've only had a few close calls with tornados in NC. But they were usually F0s or F1s. And they touched down near the mountains. I really hope you and your family are alright.

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@metalaquamonkey
12 Years1,000+ Posts

It's been raining practically nonstop here in the Central Texas area and there was a rotation in a nearby town earlier this week which placed us under a Tornado warning. Thankfully it didn't fully form and touch down. It's terrifying when you know the damage that one can do (everyone from around here still remembers Jarrell) and the devastation does take an emotional toll.

Though we need the rain here it's scary because almost 2yrs ago on Halloween there was a flood that effected my neighborhood and a young lady and her toddler got swept away in the flood (this was before they put the barricades for the flood and it is a poorly lit area) and drowned just about a mile or so from our subdivision. A lot of people in our area are still trying to rebuild and so when it rains like this people tend to be on edge.

My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your community.

Profile picture of CancerOnTheCusp
@CancerOnTheCusp
12 Years5,000+ Posts

Posted by truecap
What was your experience? How did you cope with the aftermath?

My neighborhood has been destroyed by an F3 tornado. We have been declared a disaster zone. I'm overwhelmed, exhausted, emotional, appreciative, grateful, sad, mentally drained, devastated, hopeful, and so many more. I don't know how to handle all these feelings at once.

I rode out a weather event at work twice. One was classified as a "horizontal microburst" that sheared trees and literally flattened grass. The other was hurricane force winds that knocked out power for 4-5 days. In both cases, I personally didn't get affected except for power issues and some cleanup.
Nothing near as nasty as what struck your neighborhood. Good thoughts going your way.
Like other nasty life events, you pick up, count your blessings, and move forward.

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Thanks to everyone for sharing their experience. I was having a hard time with all the mixed feelings. I'm a lot stronger now. I've been awestruck at the amount of volunteers that rolled into town - feeding people, handing out water, trimming trees, demolition of homes, taking off debris, raking yards - for free. I've met people from New York, Louisiana, Arkansas, Michigan - just from all over with the disaster relief organizations. They pay their own travel and spend their vacation days to help people at their own expense. If the world had more people like this, it would be a much better world.

I am recognizing how many good things have come out of this storm and I'm focusing on that. Our community banded together and will be stronger. My son and I bonded. My daughter appreciates me more. A father and son reunited after 30 years because the son saw his father on TV. So many positive stories out of this.

My place is almost clean by now and I'm getting my footing and beginning to rebuild. You know us capricorns, having a plan brightens my spirits.

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

I'm lucky. My house is standing. I need a complete new roof and I lost everything that was outside. But I have a home that can be repaired. So many didn't. I'm counting my blessings everyday.

That house I showed yall, no one was home. I asked her if that was the room they would have taken shelter in and she said no. Their plan was another area that is no longer there. They were actually blessed to by not being home.

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@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by starlover
Thank God they are okay ~ that was fate they werent in the house 😱

Do you have insurance cover to pay for the rebuilding work ?

Yes, it's a full replacement plan. We'll find out how they pay out or what claims they argue against.

Profile picture of Montgomery
@Montgomery
13 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by truecap
What was your experience? How did you cope with the aftermath?

My neighborhood has been destroyed by an F3 tornado. We have been declared a disaster zone. I'm overwhelmed, exhausted, emotional, appreciative, grateful, sad, mentally drained, devastated, hopeful, and so many more. I don't know how to handle all these feelings at once.

I'm glad you're alright. 😐

No, no tornadoes... Katrina, though smh

I was moving to a new apartment, and it

hit right after I was approved, BUT...

nothing could be made official because

there was no power.

I lived in a hotel for a couple of weeks.

But there were people I worked with who

had no electricity or water, soo... I was

very fortunate.

As for coping, I guess it's like anything

else-- just do what's in front of you and

remember that you aren't alone.

**hugs**

Profile picture of thisismylife2015
@thisismylife2015
11 Years

I'm so sorry you're going through that. I have family in Oklahoma, and have been through enough warnings/false alarms to know how scary it can potentially be. Hugs to you! Recovery will be hard, but you're strong and will get through it! Just one day at a time....

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by Montgomery

Posted by truecap
What was your experience? How did you cope with the aftermath?

My neighborhood has been destroyed by an F3 tornado. We have been declared a disaster zone. I'm overwhelmed, exhausted, emotional, appreciative, grateful, sad, mentally drained, devastated, hopeful, and so many more. I don't know how to handle all these feelings at once.

I'm glad you're alright. 😐

No, no tornadoes... Katrina, though smh

I was moving to a new apartment, and it

hit right after I was approved, BUT...

nothing could be made official because

there was no power.

I lived in a hotel for a couple of weeks.

But there were people I worked with who

had no electricity or water, soo... I was

very fortunate.

As for coping, I guess it's like anything

else-- just do what's in front of you and

remember that you aren't alone.

**hugs**

click to expand

Dang! Katrina was two disasters in one. The Hurricane, then the floods.
*Hugs*