Alabama residents are dealing with the aftermath of two Christmas Day tornadoes that damaged homes and churches in east Tuscaloosa and southwest Birmingham. Crews worked Saturday to restore power in the Hillman community in southwest Birmingham. Residents began repairing and trying to salvage their belongings.
Stained glassed windows were blown out of Hopewell Baptist Church. Next door at Gloria Hardy’s house, only part of the walls were left standing. Clothes and appliances were scattered.
The National Weather Service says the tornado in east Tuscaloosa was an EF0 and the storm in Birmingham was an EF2.
“It just came so fast. I had no idea of the magnitude of this,” says Gloria Hardy. “My daughter was screaming for help. People came from everywhere. They were trying to pull out debris and free us. I really didn’t get out until the firemen came and pulled me up.”
Sherrel Wheeler Stewart,WBHM
Crews work Saturday to restore power in Southwest Birmingham near Hopewell Baptist Church.
Hardy’s home was one of two of the ones destroyed. Roofs were damaged on others, and some had windows blown out. Hardy surveyed the damage with family members. She says she hopes to rebuild.