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| Tornado tears through Center |
| By adaeveningnews.com |
| Published: 05/23/2011 |
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A large tornado tore through the community of Center Saturday evening leaving destruction in its path. The tornado dropped from one of two supercells which moved through Pontotoc County from the west on an easterly course. Pontotoc County Emergency Management Director Chad Letellier said Sunday no injuries were reported but several homes suffered minor to moderate damage. One lowering from the cell touched the ground briefly before the larger tornado dropped a short time later and stayed on the ground for about a minute. Sonya Bailey, who, along with her family, lives on County Road 1525 just north of Center, watched the twister form as she and family members gathered near a storm cellar. “We were standing there watching it,” Bailey said. “We stood on the cellar and it was little-bitty. It got closer and it got huge. When we got in the cellar it lifted up.” Mikayla Jenson was safe from the tornado but her car was not. A large tree uprooted and landed on it. “My car got squished,” she said. “My car is done.” Bob Nelson, who lives with his wife and daughter on CR 1525 just northwest of Center, suffered much property damage. The tornado ripped dozens of shingles from his home’s roof, overturned a large fifth wheel travel trailer, flipped a boat and destroyed a storage shed. The travel trailer was pushed several feet by the tornado and then fell onto another boat. Nelson and his family were in Ada when the twister formed. “We had just taken our daughter to the LazerZone,” Nelson said. “We just sat in Ada and watched that wall cloud come over. We saw the funnel drop and it didn’t look like that thing was on the ground for 45 seconds. We made B-line out here and found this.” Nelson said he was lucky he and his family were away from the home where several windows were shattered by wind and debris. “It could have been worse,” he said. “It could have a lot worse.” A table which sat in Nelson’s backyard was thrown more than one-hundred yards. He found a cooler wedged under his travel trailer and had no idea where it came from. On Sunday, Nelson was planning to buy shingles for his roof. He said the family has insurance. The tornado moved through Center Cemetery tearing off tree limbs and knocking down large oak trees. Center resident and retired Center firefighter Murrel Horton spent Sunday morning clearing trees and downed limbs from the road which meanders through the cemetery. Several headstones were either knocked over or destroyed. Read More. |
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