Video: Louisville–One Month After the Deadly Storm

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LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s been a month since a powerful twister hit Winston County. Eleven people lost their lives, and property damage costs are in the millions. Right now, there’s still work to be done.

On Eiland Avenue you may find a child’s toy, a mattress, a car. All reminders of the lives turned upside down by last month’s deadly storm.

“We want to move back. Make everything better over here. My mother had no insurance on the house. We really just need help getting a spot to stay.” says tornado victim Tarus Smith.

Without a permanent home, staying in Louisville won’t be easy.

“We don’t have anywhere to stay right now. We have no clothes. People try to help us out. There are really no jobs around here anyway in Louisville so everything’s just been really rough,” says Smith.

Cleaning up debris has been the most important step in recovery in Winston County. Volunteers like Mennonite Disaster Services have come from all over the country to help.

“Of course, this is our mission. We’re going to be so busy here for 2 or 3 weeks yet, with much, much debris cleanup,” says Larry Miller, with Mennonite Disaster Services.

MDS is helping property owners like James Wilson. Wilson had several properties damaged in the storm.

“It’s been terrible you know. A lot of people looking for places to stay. I am into rental property, by the way. I’m getting a lot of calls but I don’t have anything to offer. I don’t know where we go from here,” says Wilson.

Clearly, thirty days later Louisville residents are still struggling to put their lives back together.

MDS says they’ll continue to clear debris in the hardest hit areas. They’re also planning to clean up Dean Park just in time for the June-teenth celebration.