Suspected Tornado Hits Troy, Causing Damage but No Fatalities
TROY, Ala. (WAKA) — A radar-confirmed tornado struck several areas of Troy before midnight Saturday night, causing significant damage but miraculously resulting in no fatalities. Twelve people sustained minor injuries.
“When you see the destruction from the storm, it’s amazing that no lives were lost,” one witness said.
Sue and Sukhdev Bhatti were in bed when the storm hit.
“I told him, ‘It’s here, something’s happening,’ and we jumped up and ran to the bathroom,” Sue Bhatti said. “Our daughter, her husband, and their six-year-old were with us, and we all huddled in the bathroom. It just sounded terrible. You could hear things hitting the window.”
Sukhdev Bhatti described the sound of trees breaking and falling.
“We didn’t realize what happened down the street until this morning, and we’re blessed to be alive,” he said.
The Bhattis’ home was spared, but at least seven trees in their yard were uprooted. Further down the road, a neighbor’s roof was torn apart.
Strong winds snapped dozens of trees in half, bringing down multiple power lines along Elm Street Road.
“It was just horrifying,” Sue Bhatti said. “But I know there’s a Lord, and I know He took care of us.”
At the Flash Market on U.S. 231, twisted metal, a torn billboard, and an overturned 18-wheeler were left in the tornado’s wake.
Dan Smith, who is the director of the City of Troy Parks and Recreation Department and was inside the Troy Recreation Center when the storm hit, described the eerie aftermath.
“When the storm passed, it was as if all of the air left the building,” Smith said. “You could just feel the pressure being sucked out.”
Approximately 200 people sought shelter at the Troy Recreation Center.
“We got everyone into the locker rooms, shower rooms, and bathrooms as quickly as possible in the center of the building,” said Smith, the director of Troy Parks and Recreation. “Right as the last people got in, the storm passed over, blowing out windows in cars in the parking lot, and tearing off part of the gymnasium roof. Our sports complex, including the baseball and softball park, also suffered major damage. But we’re very fortunate—it could’ve been a lot worse.”
City crews have been working nonstop to clear debris and restore services, Mayor Jason Reeves said.
“Our environmental service crews, first responders, police, and fire departments always do an incredible job,” Reeves said. “Our utility teams are already out getting service restored.”
City officials hope to reopen parts of the recreation center within a week, but repairs to the basketball courts, baseball and softball fields could take as much as six months. Troy’s police training facility was also damaged in the storm.
