Tornado aftermath brings community and region together for clean-up

An unexpected tornado causes hundreds to help clean-up the city of Iuka.

IUKA, Miss. (WCBI) – An unexpected tornado hit Iuka Saturday night and it’s all hands on deck for clean-up and recovery.

“It’s just like it just dropped down out of nowhere,” Iuka local, Eric Littlejohn said.

Devastation and debris.

After a tornado swept through Iuka’s downtown area Saturday evening, locals took no time to get to work helping folks in any way they could, like residents Eric and Breshae Littlejohn.

“After it hit, nobody was talking. Everybody just come out here. It’s like, everybody just put their shoes on and everybody came out and got to work, started helping clearing roads and checking on the houses, neighbors and family members,” Littlejohn said.

“Everybody’s just really came together. There’s been no trying to get people. Everybody’s just ran and helped whoever whenever they needed it so it’s a blessing,” Breshae Littlejohn said.

And that’s just what they did. Fire departments, churches, students, and just friendly neighbors did their part.

Dayton Crabb is a student and football player at Tishomingo County High School. When Crabb noticed his community was in trouble, he was at their side.

“Lots of people texted me. My football coach, Coach Holland and then the high school football coach, Coach Risso, wanted lots of people to come out and help. I was wanting just to help just so kids can go back to school and get their power back and get back on the roads again,” Crabb said.

In addition to locals pitching in, Iuka attorney Nathaniel Clark said there’s been overwhelming support from the entire region.

“We’ve had hundreds of volunteers and if it wasn’t for the people, not only handing out water, but the first responders cutting down trees making sure, getting people out of houses, we’ve had people trapped in houses with trees on them. If it wasn’t for the people helping out, we’d be in really bad shape,” Clark said.

All across the city, there are trees, power lines, even buildings that have been knocked down due to this unexpected tornado. However, community members believe with the help of everyone, they might be able to get back to normal in just a few weeks.

“With all the trees down that we have, most of them are uprooted, there huge, there’s limbs, there’s so many things. There’s power lines that are giant that are laying on the ground, literally people are having to ride over. I’m thinking weeks to months on rebuilding,” Littlejohn said. “But I think with all the help that we have and the workers that have come together, I think it’ll be done sooner than later because we’ve got some great people that are in different counties and states that are coming to help us.”

According to Clark, schools in the area will be open Monday. However, if roads are still blocked, students will be excused from class.