Columbia residents reflect one week after tornado touches down
Euphenie Andre
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
It has been one week since tornadoes touched down across Mid-Missouri, causing damage and teaching some residents important lessons.
In Columbia, city officials reported that at least five homes and several buildings sustained damage after a confirmed EF-1 tornado moved through the area. The tornado caught many by surprise, but several residents say the experience has made them feel more prepared for future storms.
Cara Joos, a Columbia homeowner, described the terrifying moment the storm hit.
“It was like the world just went white,” Joos said.
Joos experienced only minor damage to her property.
“We just lost a tree and then had a few dents and a few shingles. That’s already all repaired. It was like (the tornado) just jumped right over our house, so it missed us,” Joos said.
However, her next-door neighbor was not as fortunate. A large tree fell onto their home, causing significant damage.
Joos reflected on her experience during the tornado, saying, “I went downstairs and looked out the window, and it was like everything was still white. Things were hitting the house.”
She said she was unprepared to receive alerts, as she mainly accesses content through streaming services.
“I didn’t have anything prearranged,” Joos said. Moving forward, she plans to download a local weather app to receive real-time alerts. “Probably my biggest thing is to know exactly where I can get live local weather, like right here on ABC 17 News,” she said.
Another Columbia resident, Laura Hurdle had the roof of her home on Lynwood Drive damaged after a tree fell on it. Hurdle said she is still waiting for bids and repairs.
“I’m just hoping we don’t have another rainstorm because we have a little hole in our roof now. It has a tarp over it, so we’re just kind of waiting for the contractors to get back to us,” Hurdle said.
Both Joos and Hurdle emphasized the importance of seeking shelter in the basement during the tornado. While property damage has been frustrating, they expressed relief that no one in their neighborhoods were seriously hurt.
City officials said that there were no reported deaths or injuries in Sunday’s tornado.
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