STANDING ROCK, AL- Last Thursday, an EF2 tornado ripped through Standing Rock as the community was hit hard producing a horrifying scene. Fortunately, everyone was safe from injury, but damage to homes and buildings was unavoidable.
Residents Korey and Trenton Pijnenburg and their eight-week-old baby, were one of the families that were hit the hardest. Trenton Pijnenburg, who was in Arkansas hunting, drove back the next day after hearing of the tornado to be with his family.
Korey Pijnenburg could see the tornado picking up momentum and did what came naturally to her as her motherly instincts kicked in. Pijnenburg ran and took cover at her mother and father in-laws house who lived next door.
Fortunately, everybody including the pets were safe in what Korey Pijnenburg can only describe as a blessing. Today, thanks to the community’s help, the Pijnenburg can focus on rebuilding.
On Monday, Chambers EMA and the Standing Rock Volunteer Fire Department were busy assessing the damage from the tornado and gathering resources.
NWS meteorologists have surveyed the damage in northeastern Chambers County and the start point is a bit uncertain due to sporadic timber damage around Five Points, it appears to be near County Road 114 west of Highway 431 to the southwest of Five Points. Northeast of Five Points, the tornado intensified, snapping and uprooting many
trees along County Road 267 and causing roof damage to a barn.
trees along County Road 267 and causing roof damage to a barn.
The swath of timber damage became almost a mile wide along County Roads 281 and 282 and at least one residence there suffered roof damage. The tornado continued to intensify as it crossed County Road 268 where large swaths of pine trees were snapped.
A manufactured home was completely destroyed and blown downstream near County Road 278; thankfully the family was not home at the time. Most of the structural damage happened along County Road 284.
A couple of residences suffered significant shingle damage, one had siding damage, and a manufactured home had its porch ripped off, impacting its walls. Another manufactured building was blown off its footings.
Another significant swath of snapped pines was observed on County Road 283. Some snapped off only a couple of feet off the ground. The tornado then crossed into Georgia, continuing to snap trees along West Point Lake”, Chambers EMA Deputy Director, Kathy A Hornsby in an email to the Chambers Ledger.
Crews are still working on the cleanup as they are working around the clock to help restore Standing Rock to a sign of normalcy.
