The National Weather Service in Birmingham cannot yet confirm whether one or multiple tornadoes touched down yesterday, causing damage to areas surrounding Wire Road and Gay and Green streets.
A tornado warning was issued at 11:48 a.m. after a storm was sited at 11:46 a.m.
Dirk Perkins, resident of Elkins Drive and student at Drake Middle School, thought the Wednesday tornado siren he's used to hearing at noon had sounded early.
Perkins, who was out of school sick and home alone, said his mother called immediately after the siren and told him to go to their safe room.
"I got my dog and I ran straight into the room," Perkins said. "All the power went out a couple of seconds before it hit, and I was scared to death ... The tornado sounded like a giant wave coming through, like with an amplifier and three wars."
He took shelter near the center of his home and felt the house lift from the foundation and turn.
"And it went straight through our guest room," Perkins said. "There is a hole in our ceiling."
He opened up a door in his house and saw through a window across the hall wind and water swirling around.
"In the backyard, our neighbor's tree came and fell down and it hit our deck, and it basically broke the deck," Perkins said.
He said the tornado passed through in 10-30 seconds.
"It felt like three hours" he said.
He said he thinks no one else was hurt on the street.
"Besides my heart about to come out of my chest, I'm OK." Perkins said.
John Raines, resident of Fontaine Drive and engineering adviser, was on campus when the tornado hit.
"It's material stuff," Raines said. "We'll be all right."
Joy Knotbohm, also a resident of Elkins Drive, was at work at Village Mall when the tornado hit.
"Good lord, it's like a warzone isn't it?" Knotbohm said.
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