Residents of two of Tallahassee’s most closely forested neighborhoods, Myers Park and Indianhead Acres, discovered themselves just about buried in fallen timber Friday as extreme storms and reported tornadoes ripped through the area.
Roads through both neighborhood littered with downed trees – many on top of homes – and gnarled power lines, leaving some people stranded. Good Samaritans with chainsaws and tractors cut narrow pathways through some of the streets to help extricate their neighbors.
“It came on so fast, and it ended so fast,” one resident said. “And it was so dark outside, just super ominous and really creepy. All you could smell was like dirt and pine. It was just absolutely stunningly strange.”
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FAMU declares ‘state of emergency’
Florida A&M University President Larry Robinson has declared “a state of emergency” as employees on the Tallahassee campus continue to assess and repair damage caused by what may be the worst tornado in Tallahassee history.
The university said at least 15 buildings, including the Grand Ballroom, the Banneker Buildings and the old Plant, Operations and Maintenance (POM) Building, suffered some form of roof and water damage. The flashing on Lee Hall was also damaged, according to Kendall Jones, associate vice president Facilities, Planning, Construction, and Safety.
While the campus cleanup is underway classes will be conducted remotely May 13-17. Monday marks the start of the summer semester at FAMU.
Following Friday’s closure, FAMU Developmental Research School (DRS) administrators will announce re-opening plans over the weekend. The Educational Research Center for Child Development’s (ERCCD) roof was damaged, and the facility will be closed at least Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for repairs.
“We appreciate all of the prayers and support from the community. Our employees are working strenuously to ensure we can restore normal operations as soon as possible,” Robinson said in a statement. “Although there has been substantial damage from the storm, we are thankful that there has been no loss of life or serious injuries reported.”
