Compiled by Erica Wright
The aftermath of Hurricane Florence is still being felt in the Carolinas. We asked Birmingham-area residents, has there been a weather event that really terrified you?
Megan Hilt: “The tornados that came and hit Tuscaloosa and parts of Birmingham in 2011. I had just moved here the year before. . . and my older brother was a sophomore at the University of Alabama. We had no idea the tornado was going to hit Tuscaloosa. It was really scary because we didn’t know whether or not my brother would be safe or whether we would have a house.”
Abby Adams: “I would say Hurricane Florence because it has had an effect on a lot of people that I know and I’m from South Carolina originally, so it was scary for me just now not knowing whether or not my family and friends that still live there were okay . . . but they’re fine and so the effects and the trauma it caused [really scared me], I’m praying for everyone affected by this hurricane.”
Ariana Coyne: “Probably Hurricane Katrina [in New Orleans in 2005] , although it didn’t hit here in Birmingham, it was really scary because I was young and I was still in school and I remember the news stations being on all day and just seeing the devastation it caused in New Orleans. I felt really bad for everyone and I just hoped something like that would never happen here because it was sad to see . . . the trauma and devastation it left behind.”
Jesse Suttle: “The tornadoes that hit in 2011 down in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. I was actually supposed to be in Tuscaloosa that night, but I didn’t so I’m glad I didn’t go, but it was tough seeing all the damage and trauma it left behind. Tuscaloosa is still rebuilding, but you can see where it was damaging and devastating to a lot of people.”
