Tornadoes may come and go in an instant, but their damage remains. For victims in Kentucky and Indiana the storm has yet to pass. Snow fell on the area Monday, further complicating the cleanup of the damage caused by the deadly disaster. The 3-inches of fresh snow slowed the digging efforts of workers, resulting in the long journey to rebuild to extend even longer.
Survivors of the storms are working together to restore their communities, from cleaning up debris to repairing rooftops. George Weddington of West Liberty, Kentucky recalls what he did during the storms: "I was really praying for us -- and I realized I was being selfish -- and I just started praying for everybody, you know. I don't know if that helped or not, but I did my best." Despite the prayers and thoughts of many, a tragedy still ensued. The storms took the lives of 40 people: 22 in Kentucky, 13 in Indiana, three in Ohio, one in Alabama, and one in Georgia. The storms also affected millions from Indiana to Georgia. Another natural disaster that has many wondering if this is just a preview of worse to come.
The snow was not confined to just Kentucky, either. Snow also blanketed Henryville, Indiana, complicating cleanup efforts there as well. The town suffered extensive damage from two storms, one of which was an EF-4 tornado.
Despite all the damage and the recent snowfall, residents and officials are determined to restore their hometowns. Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear visited the town of West Liberty and what he had to say seems promising: "It's going to be a long, long time to get that town back on its feet, but somehow or another I know they'll want to do it, I know they will do it, and we're going to help them do it." Hopefully the tornadoes did not completely break the spirits of these victims, and with the help of others, they can begin to rebuild their lives.
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