Homeowners and their friends and family, some wearing face masks – a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is still brewing – are rallying together to continue cleanup efforts in tornado-ravaged homes across the Chattanooga region’s affected neighborhoods.
Violent storms and at least one EF-3 tornado killed at least 10 people in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia Sunday night into Monday morning.
In one East Brainerd neighborhood, Brad Jones stood looking at his house, which had been picked up by the tornado and set back down about 75 feet into what used to be his back yard. Family and friends were helping pack up what could be saved.
“We’ve seen houses damaged horribly and flattened,” he said. “This was our first flying house.”
Jones, his daughter, Anna, and their dog, Chloe, were hiding in a bathroom under the stairs when the tornado hit. The whole thing lasted about a minute, he guessed, and they couldn’t tell when the house became airborne or when it landed.