ALCORN COUNTY, Miss. — Volunteers are helping a community in Alcorn County clean up after a tornado ripped through over the weekend, leaving miles and miles of damage.
The storm left a trail of destruction as it tore roofs off homes and snapped trees in half.
Raymond Gray said when he got the tornado warning on his phone, he and his family hid in their shelter next to his home on County Road 357.
“We went in there. In about 10 minutes my ears started popping a little bit,” he said.
Gray told WREG the terrifying sounds only got worse. When it stopped, they stepped outside to find the damage including part of his roof on his barn ripped off.
Down the road more homes were destroyed.
The National Weather Service says the tornado started in the southeastern part of Alcorn County with winds reaching 115 miles per hour. It moved about 8 miles into Burnsville.
They also report the most significant damage was in Burnsville, which is in neighboring Tishomingo.
Alcorn County officials say about 30 volunteers have helped clear roads and cleanup.
As for Gray, he says he’s had his storm shelter for about a year, and it’s been well worth it.
“Oh yeah. Ten fold. Nobody got hurt. Everyone is pretty lucky. No one got hurt at all,” he said. “That’s the important thing. Thank God for that.”
