Tornado!

 

  

As Hurricane Ivan approached Panama City (FL) on September 15, 2004, a tornado spawned by the storm destroyed our home, while I huddled in a bathroom with my dog. Both of us were very frightened by the experience, and I wonder if either of us will ever be the same.

 

Here are some pictures of the damages caused. And this was only an F2 tornado, although uncommonly large for this area, with winds of about 150 MPH. (Click on thumbnails for full sized photo).

 

Here is the view out the back. Look at the pine trees snapped off.

The power of the winds drove this small pine branch through the hardi-panel siding into the OSB.

Here’s the view from out on the street.

From the inside looking out toward the front. I couldn’t get out the front door because of the truck.

This is the rear of the house, viewed from the side. I couldn’t get out there, either.

Like all homes built in FL, “hurricane straps” are installed to help hold the roof on. Hurricane maybe, but they’re not up to a tornado.

Here is an aerial photo a friend sent me. My house is the yellow one in the center.

Somebody emailed me this picture, taken from a few miles away and a few minutes after my house was destroyed.