Sunday, July 7, 2013

NWS reports EF1 tornado destroyed homes in Florence Co.

FLORENCE,
SC (WMBF) - The National Weather Service survey crew members say their
preliminary reports show the damage to several overturned mobile homes in the
Rosewood Mobile Home Park before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday was caused by an EF-1
tornado.

A tornado
survey team from Wilmington arrived in the area just after 10 a.m. Wednesday,
according to the National Weather Service. The team determined that the
tornado, which struck between 6:59 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2,
originated near the National Guard armory near the Florence Memorial Stadium
just south of Highway 76.

Seven
people were injured, said Captain Mike Nunn with the Florence County Sheriff's
Office. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

Preliminary
findings show the path of the tornado was three miles in length, 90 yards wide
at its peak near the mobile home park with maximum winds at 105 miles per hour,
destroying 10 mobile homes.

Survey
crews also investigated?whether a crash involving multiple vehicles on
Interstate 95 was related to the tornado, but noted that the tree lines on each
side of the highway showed no signs of damage.

Captain
Nunn said a six-year-old girl was trapped under debris, but was eventually
rescued and sent to the hospital. Six other people were taken to the hospital
after the storm. The ER nurse at McLeod Regional Medical Center says all seven
are in good condition.

After
further calculations, Emergency Management Coordinator Kristy Hughes
determined:

  • 19 homes have minor damage: $31,000 damage total
  • 2 homes major damage: approx. $3,500 total damage
  • 12 homes were destroyed: approx. $52,500 total damage
  • Nine people were injured (all minor injuries)

According
to Captain Nunn, there are around 40 residents living in the Rosewood Mobile
Home Park, but everyone has been evacuated. The scene will remain closed due to
unsafe conditions from the debris and downed power lines. No one is allowed
into the mobile home community until officials say that is safe. Crews continued
to work through the night to remove debris.

On
Tuesday, the American Red Cross opened up a shelter at Wilson High School,
located at 1411 Old Marion Highway in Florence, where they ?provided food,
shelter and emotional support to anyone who was displaced. On Wednesday, a
spokesperson for the organization said they are closing the shelter, because
all of the victims of this tornado decided to stay elsewhere.

By
Wednesday afternoon, the Red Cross said they successfully identified and
completed case work with all affected families.

"We
found a few things that were salvaged that we could actually get out everything
else was basically destroyed," said Tamika Holmes.

Tamika
Holmes and her family spent the day Wednesday filtering through the pile of
debris that was once their home. The family said they were able to find a few
personal items, but the majority of their belongs had been destroyed.

"I
can't even get to my kids' clothes at all? the back trailer is completely on my
son's room, so if were home my kid wouldn't have made it out of that,"
said Holmes.

Many of
the residents who lived the Rosewood Mobile Home Community said they were glad
that no one suffered any life threatening injuries.

"I
have been down and out so many times and I always got up so this is not the end
for me I will be alright," said Holmes.

On Friday,
Florence County Emergency Management turned Rosewood Mobile Home Community back
over to the property owner. Throughout the day clean-up crew were clearing
debris and trying to repair what they could.

" To speed
up the process what a claim or a person who has went through the storms that we
have had, they need to just go ahead and make up a list of the items that have
been damaged," said Jim Harsh.

For more
than 40 years Jim Harsh has worked to help people put their lives back together
after a natural disaster. Harsh works for Aiken and company in Florence. Harsh
said in situations like Tuesday's tornado people should be working to make what
repairs they can make to their property, and contacting their insurance agent.

" ?The most
important thing for them is to protect themselves, the 2nd is they
need to make whatever temporary repairs they can make. Get a neighbor go get
some plywood, do whatever they need to do to make temporary repairs. The third
thing they need to do is call their insurance agent and go ahead and report the
claim," said Harsh.

?

Harsh said there are a few things that most homeowners
insurance normally cover. ? The structure of your home, personal
belongings, liability protection and expenses if you are unable to live inside
of your home because of a natural disaster.

Harsh added a typical mistake people often make when filing a major insurance
claim is not trusting their insurance adjuster.

?" The adjuster is there to find out what he can pay you. Most people
think? adjusters are there to try and find exclusions, no that's not the
case? they're there to help you do the most," said Harsh.

Copyright 2013 WMBF News. All rights reserved.

Source: http://florencecounty.wmbfnews.com/news/news/61761-nws-reports-ef1-tornado-destroyed-homes-florence-co

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