VIDEO: Kirkville Recovers from Tornado

KIRKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Residents in the Kirkville Community in Itawamba County are spending their Labor Day weekend cleaning up after last week’s tornado..

Seeing the destruction this tornado left, it’s fortunate for the community no lives were lost.

Now, families are trying to salvage what they can in the midst of this difficult situation.

“It’s horrific, honestly. The fact that this trailer is gone, their roofs gone, but the two structures behind us are still standing with minimal damage, compared to this….” said resident, Jesse Dunn.

Kirkville residents have been using Labor Day weekend to clean-up, after the remnants of Hurricane Harvey spawned an EF 1 tornado in the Itawamba County community, and they’ve had plenty of help.

“It’s been a blessing. This place was covered with volunteers on Friday and Saturday. Of course, debris was scattered from here across the road. We’ve had several people reaching out, bringing clothes, supplies, even monetary donations to help them. It has been a blessing,” said Mantachie resident, Rocky Lindsey.

There were no injuries from the storm, but Lindsey says it was a close call.

“By seconds, I’m telling you seconds. My son stepped at the corner of this building and looked down across here, and the tornado was in that tree line when he stepped at the corner of the building,” said Lindsey.

His son saw a family member, several yards away from the tornado, and told her to run to the storm shelter.

“If my son had not seen the storm and warn her, the outcome could’ve been very different,” continued Lindsey.

Much like anytime there’s a natural disaster, neighbors and strangers come together to lend a helping hand.

Now, the pick up the pieces of rubble from destroyed buildings and damaged trees.

“I’m just grateful for the people that have come out. It’s just amazing with the donations, like you said, it’s unreal the people… everybody’s help, people who didn’t have to. People across the road, they’ve had stuff done, and they’ve been cleaning up. They had their roof torn off, and they’ve been here helping clean up. Everybody worked together. It’s been a team effort, for sure,” said Dunn.

Family members told us once everything is cleaned up, storm victims are looking at rebuilding and staying right where they are.