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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013
LEAP DAY TORNADO: ONE YEAR LATER BATTERED — NOT BEATEN
THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO
Several flattened homes are seen Feb. 29, 2012, in the southeast corner of Harrisburg.
Mother Nature’s fury on display BY SCOTT FITZGERALD THE SOUTHERN
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ne of nature’s most powerful cataclysms — a tornado — roared through much of Saline and Gallatin counties on Feb. 29, 2012, claiming eight lives and causing millions of dollars of damage. Weather spotters reported the tornado touched down at 4:38 a.m. about 6 miles southeast of Marion and a few minutes later, about 2 miles southwest of Harrisburg. It soon roared through town destroying residences in several blocks of a south neighborhood known as Dorrisville, flattening businesses along a stretch of South Wind speeds Commercial Street and bringing reached 170 mph, down a newly built subdivision where six of the casualties ranking the occurred. There was damage to tornado as an residences near and to Harrisburg Medical Center. EF4, meaning it Continuing its northeasterly belonged on the path, the tornado struck portions of Southeastern Illinois second most College and struck Ridgway in Gallatin County, destroying St. powerful Joseph Catholic Church, several classification on businesses and homes. Wind speeds reached Enhanced Fujita 170 mph, ranking the tornado as Scale, according an EF4, meaning it belonged on the second most powerful to the National classification on Enhanced Fujita Weather Service. Scale, according to the National Weather Service. There were six immediate deaths in Harrisburg from the tornado strike — Randy Rann, 64; Donna Rann, 61, Jaylynn Ferrell, 22, Mary Osman, 75, Linda Hull, 74, and Greg Swierk, 50. A seventh victim, Don Smith, 70, died March 7 in Deaconess Hospital of Evansville, Ind., where he was treated for blunt force injuries. An eight victim, R. Blaine Mauney, 74, died May 31, from major injuries suffered in the tornado. A final assessment showed 104 structures damaged including 66 deemed total losses. SEE TORNADO / PAGE 2
THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO
Emergency crews comb through some of the damage in Harrisburg.
Recovery filled with emotion Off Target LES WINKELER
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ost of the visible wounds have been healed. Homes have been rebuilt and repaired. However, the EF-4 tornado that devastated part of Harrisburg on Feb. 29, 2012, inflicted wounds that will take years to heal. Families of the eight people killed in the tornado will mourn for years. They will be reminded of their loved ones every time strong winds roll through town. And, many survivors will feel a tinge of fear each time spring storm clouds gather. And, while most of the physical damage has been repaired, there are daily reminders of the storm’s fury.
Life in Harrisburg has resumed the day-to-day normalcy of small-town America. Yet, the reminders of the tornado linger just below the surface. The remnants of an American flag stuck in the top of tree are still visible. I always viewed the tattered flag as a source of strength, a show of defiance. The sight lines in the portion of town leveled by the storm are radically different today. Some structures weren’t rebuilt. The Lutheran Church is just a memory, as are the buildings that housed the Senior Center and the strip mall at the Walmart parking lot. And, the tornado’s path is readily traceable by the lack of trees. Despite the loss of life and property, life in Harrisburg has resumed the day-to-day normalcy of small-town America. Yet, the reminders of the tornado linger just below the surface. The smallest, most insignificant things can trigger a flashback to
that morning. It might be the sight of Christmas lights dangling from an oak tree in my front yard, bottles of drinking water stockpiled in corner of a convenience store, or simply the sound of a chain saw. Remarkably, in retrospect, not all the memories are bad. I remember the sense of deep relief when I learned all our immediate neighbors escaped without injury. I remember a deep gratitude and humility when a complete stranger stopped in the street to offer me a pair of gloves as I dragged tree limbs off my front porch. I remember being moved to tears by the constant stream of volunteers offering to help clean up the yard. I almost felt bad I didn’t have more work for them. SEE WINKELER / PAGE 2