May 22, 2008

Tornado hit; save but still shaking

It's been quite a day over here, in what it's always supposed to be colorful Colorado.

We had seven tornados hit in this area, around lunchtime. And Jeez!! we're still shaking!

The biggest one, unofficially estimated being an F-3 category, we could say took a very nice walk around our neighborhood and while spared us from the destruction, other towns close by were merciless hit.

It been reported that the monster was one mile wide. Go figure!

All that happening while MDH and I were at work, in another town 45 minutes north, and Mami and my kiddo at home.
We were both locked up in emergency mode; I work in a hospital, he works in a school. And there was no power at home, so neither of us were able to talked to my Mom for the longest couple of hours in my whole life.

I can not tell how many things were racing through my mind.
But we thanked God for being so lucky. And for the caring neighbor that called my Mom just on time to suddenly stop Nicolás lunch and run down to the basement. She says the poor kid was like, "Hey! what's up with you, I haven't finished my frijoles negros!".

First, it hit in two small towns (Gilcrest and Milliken) a mile south of our neighborhood. Then, instead of keeping its way straight north, right where we are, it moved west and hit a business area called Promontory Park, where the State Farm and JB Swift corporate offices are.

Then it went above and beyond. It hit Windsor, a 16,000 people town, con ensañamiento y alevosía. The town is almost destroyed. There are 100 injured.

The hail that fell around here, folks, was the size of baseball and golf balls.

One hundred and something children were miraculously saved in Windsor when they were quickly rushed by the teachers to a bank across the street. The kiddos were packed up in the bank's vault. A few seconds later, the daycare building was completely lifted from the ground.

One man was killed in a RV park that is like, two minutes driving from our house.


Our county, Weld, has been declared an area of national disaster. And the alert lasted until 8 p.m., which seemed to be endless.

Nevertheless, we're now breathing peacefully because we're saved. It was hard to see in the news the places and the faces that you are familiar with, from the gas station, the grocery store and the parks, crying and staring at their destroyed homes.
But, as one neighboord said on TV, "It's good that here nobody got killed. And the houses torn down? Well, that what bulldozers are for".
Hoy nacimos de nuevo. I am so damned positive sure of that!
Sources: The Greeley Tribune & FOX 31 Channel News

1 comment:

Unknown said...

“It was hard to see in the news the places and the faces that you are familiar with, from the gas station, the grocery store and the parks, crying and staring at their destroyed homes” - I know that feeling! I'm glad to know you were safe after being hit by seven tornadoes! Gah, I could only imagine the fear and pain your people went through. I hope they physically and emotionally recovered by now. Be safe!

Edwina Sybert