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Deadly tornadoes
ripped through Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore April 28, killing at least five
people and saddling residents in Charles, Calvert and Dorchester counties with a massive cleanup
effort.
Charles
County was hit hardest. More than 800 homes were damaged or destroyed, along
with nearly
200 businesses.
In Calvert County, about 160 homes and a business were damaged or destroyed, while in
Dorchester County, a home and a barn were destroyed, officials said.
State and
federal funds have been pledged to help with the disaster areas. But even before the government's financial aid was offered, volunteers
from across the nation came to help with rebuilding efforts.
Most
residents in La Plata -- the town slammed the hardest -- said they were just
grateful for what had been spared.
"We're
so thankful we didn't pull any bodies out of buildings," said Town
Mayor William F. Eckman.
The tornado,
which was initially ranked by the
National Weather Service as an F5 on the Fujita Tornado Damage scale -- the most destructive --
was downgraded to an F4 after further
investigation. An F4
produces "devastating damage"
with wind speeds ranging from 207 to 260 mph.
"It's
still pretty doggone destructive," said National Weather Service
spokesman Jim DeCarufel.
A second twister was said to have formed as the first died
down, crossing the Chesapeake Bay into Dorchester County, DeCarufel said.
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Photos and text and by Gloria Son
Published
Friday, May
10, 2002
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