This story is written by Red Cross volunteer Eilene Guy.
August 29, 2011 North Carolina
The devastation of Hurricane Irene wasn’t limited to the Category 1 winds, the relentless rain or even the storm surges and flooding that followed, The power weather disturbance also spawned tornadoes that struck with breathtaking intensity.
On Highway 64 east of Columbia, N.C., on the way to the famed Outer Banks, Lena and Calvin’s neat doublewide home as well as their neighbor’s was reduced to two large debris fields on both sides of the road. There is absolutely nothing left on the foundations, Every bit of the two homes – structure, furnishings, kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures and all their personal belongings – look like they have been through a meat grinder.
“We did find some photos,” Lena said wistfully. “And they weren’t even wet.” Calvin stoops to pick up a tattered muddy envelope: A bank statement addressed to his neighbor.
The steel I-beam that used to for the base frame of the Hills’ home is bent like an old-fashioned hairpin around the trunk of a tree. “We used to worry that the tree would fall on the house,” Lena said with a hint of humor. “But the house fell on the tree.
“You have to keep some sense of humor or you would just break down,” she admitted.
Lena said the family had planned to ride out the storm at home, “because we knew it wouldn’t flood here,” but Friday evening they decided to take shelter at their church. About midnight, Calvin, a local firefighter, heard a call to respond to a tornado touchdown. On the way to the scene, he learned it was his own home and his neighbor’s that were destroyed.
Nearby, a single-wide mobile home was rolled like a log by the winds. The woman inside suffered a broken arm and internal injuries.
American Red Cross disaster assessment teams are combing the highways and back roads of eastern North Carolina, identifying cases of total destruction, such as the Hills, as well as homes that will need everything from roof replacement to major repairs. From those assessments, the Red Cross can plan to meet needs for shelter, food, emotional support and recovery counseling that will continue for weeks.
“We never had to have help from the Red Cross before,” Calvin said, accepting a bottle of water as he surveyed the scene, “But we appreciated knowing you all are here.”
Posted by amrecro 
