Wetumpka Tornado: Then and Now
On January 19th an EF-2 Tornado tore through downtown Wetumpka. Alabama News Network was among the first crews on the scene. What we saw was hard to describe. Destruction was everywhere.
Powerpoles were snapped like toothpicks. Homes, businesses, and churches were destroyed. Trees were strewn across almost every major street on the west side of Bibb-Graves bridge, and almost all utilities were down. Thankfully, there was no loss of life. Now nearly a week later the Wetumpka we see now is a far cry from then.
Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis says that most residents have the utilities they need. Power, cable, and gas is available to everyone who has built back to the point that they can receive it. Safety was a priority during clean up. Rubbish still remains along side the streets of Wetumpka. Moving it is only a matter of having it surveyed and figuring out where it will be hauled too.
In total more than 150 properties were affected by the tornado. The Bibb-Graves bridge is open, the traffic light is back up, and crews have been working around the clock to clean up and rebuild. Willis says workers and volunteers will take Saturday and Sunday off to rest and work will resume on Monday.
