Tornado survivors to sift through what's left in Tuscaloosa

TUSCALOOSA, Ala., near the intersection of Mcfarland Blvd and 15 Street, one area of the city's 83 000 most affected by a strong tornado, people sifted through what little remains of houses and apartments. , Jessica Mcgowan, Getty Images

People roam the streets near downtown Tuscaloosa, Ala., Tornado damage survey on Thursday.

By Jessica Mcgowan, Getty Images

People roam the streets near downtown Tuscaloosa, Ala., Tornado damage survey on Thursday.

In the area, where students from the nearby University of Alabama held many of the homes, Deborah Jackson, 32, was shocked she saw. "I came to check on family and friends, "she said. "I was at home watching it come through Tuscaloosa on TV, and then went to cable. You see this, but you don't believe "I walk around more than an hour now, and I still don't believe It has gone into this. next to his friend, Iris Riggs, hairdresser. Her work has lost its roof "I don't know what we're going to do; We cannot work there roofs, all tore up "Riggs says."I've never seen anything like it. Lord help us. "In the 15th Street a large oak barrel was stripped clean, with the exception of one limb nearly 20 feet off the ground. Hot water heater hung there, roasted, the only remaining limb or abolished, annihilated almost destroyed littered the White Chevrolet Tahoe. sitting down in the debris of what once was the House brick. The steel index was wrapped around the back of the SUV as twist tie in some parts of Tuscaloosa, Utility crews "just have to start over," said Truman Mims, 63, former long-haul truck driver and Tuscaloosa residents.MIMS House is located near the city of Tuscaloosa and avoid injury. He was affected by the hurricane areas offer their assistance in the recovery effort. "I know I can't do much, but I can cut some trees for people, "he said. "It's bad, as I have ever seen. He's going to take some time to get over it. "Police blocked traffic in the most affected areas, where people are forced to improvise to bring clothing and personal items: Many drag and drop a few things that they left with wheeled suitcases. Children, carts and wagons rolling chairs also stood as AIDS to transport one's driveway is almost totally destroyed houses in several articles of clothing were laidremains sheathed in clear plastic wrap from Dry-cleaning. roar of sirens, as continued Thursday as emergency workers continued to rescue Rachel Howat, 26., rode out the storm in the House of a friend, hunkered down in the central corridor covered mattress. "There were three of us in the hallway, and is the only wall left of the home, "said Howat. for additional information about Reprint permissions, visit our FAQ &. Report corrections and clarifications, contact standards editor Brent Jones. For consideration of publication in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and State to check. To view our corrections, go to corrections usatoday.com. We have updated the guidelines talk. Changes include a brief overview of the approval process and explains how to use the button "report abuse". For More Information.