Molino Storm Damage Update

By Debbie Williams Reporter

Even the possibility of severe weather is the last thing folks in Molino need as they try to get back on their feet from Sunday's tornadoes. Molino Storm Damage Update

Published: Thu, February 21, 2008 - 5:40 pm Last Updated: Thu, February 21, 2008 - 10:31 pm

Debbie Williams

Even the possibility of severe weather is the last thing folks in Molino need as they try to get back on their feet from Sunday's tornadoes. Their neighborhood maybe temporarily broken but not their spirit.
The rains came early in Molino. "It's crappy really how can you start cleaning up whenever it's raining. We're going to put ponchos on and start cleaning."
The weather adding insult to the injury it's already caused. "It's very surreal to come home and see this." For Ashley Godwin, it's just beginning to sink in, "We're staying in a hotel and when you come home to this it's kind a rough."
A patchwork of tarps cover roofs trying to protect whatever is left. "It's been overwhelming but we're getting through it," says Lonnie Wall. He's trying to pick up the pieces and get his life back together again. "It gets where it's hard to handle but you just got to do it," he says.
Several of the houses in this neighborhood are not livable. Others destroyed, others without power. Folks living here say the rain has stopped all kinds of clean up and repair but they don't fear more severe weather. "If it gets us again it can't hurt us any worse than it's already done so everything is covered," says Wall.
Eearly on sightseers were everywhere. "The first couple of days were really bad. I mean the neighborhood was just packed with people coming with cameras wanting to look and get out and walk around," says Godwin.
Now contractors replace sightseers as the neighborhood begins the long process of rebuilding. "It's a never ending battle to get things back to where they need to be to get back to a normal life," says Wall.
The tornado hit Molino around noon last Sunday. Sixty structures reported damage ranging from shingles missing to homes being demolished. There were no reports of injury.

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