Taopi Tornado: ‘We’re just so grateful’
Published 3:51 pm Friday, April 15, 2022
Taopi Mayor Mary Huntley, left, and Mower County Emergency Management Director Amy Lammey talk before a media briefing Friday in Taopi. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
A large wood chipper is parked near a large pile of wood gathered from clean-up efforts Friday in Taopi. Eric Johnson@austindailyherald.com
Debris lay scattered following the tornado that struck Taopi last April. Herald file photo
Clean-up continued in force the afternoon of April 13 in Taopi. Herald file photo
Debris was littered everywhere about Taopi, the result of a likely EF2 tornado Tuesday night. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The roof of a building in Taopi lays bare to the cloudy skies Wednesday following Tuesday night’s severe storms which likely delivered an EF2 tornado. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Debris is swept out of the door in a Taopi house the afternoon of April 13 as clean-up continued following the April 12 storms. Herald file photo
A building lies in ruins in Taopi Wednesday afternoon, the results of a probably EF2 tornado Tuesday night that packed over 110 mph winds. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Taopi residents came together quickly in mid-April to help each other with clean-up. Herald file photo
A skid loader is used to move downed tree limbs on a property in Taopi Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
A piece of lumber was driven throug the windshield of a truck in Taopi. Residents quickly began cleaning up Wednesday monring following Tuesday nights storms. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
A pair of Taopi residents look through damage from a residence in April after a storm producing a EF2 tornado swept through the community. Herald file photo
The “doll house” as it looked the morning after the tornado. Herald file photo
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TAOPI — Just days after an EF2 tornado tore through Taopi Tuesday night, the town already has taken major strides to try and reach some sort of normal.
Tuesday night’s storm cut a wide swath through the community’s west edge destroying 10 homes total, causing damages to others and downing trees all about town. However, the town already looks different, a sign of the hope displayed by its residents.
Yards and properties choked with material from homes and trees Wednesday morning were now cleared and more open.
“The landscaping is changing,” said Taopi Mayor Mary Huntley during a media briefing Friday afternoon. “Everything is changing. Mountains of trees piling up is progress for us.”
While the damage wrought by the tornado that sustained winds of around 130 mph was devastating, Huntley said that the community has shown resilience and its people are “anxious” to get on with the rebuilding of the community.
“I think people are feeling pretty good. Optimistic,” she said. “There’s a lot of grief here, but we’re very hopeful because we know we’re going to recover from this.”
Mower County Emergency Management Director Amy Lammey said Friday that clean-up efforts remain focused on cleaning up the down trees left by the tornado. Two large piles were visible on the west edge of Taopi with a large wood chipper waiting to start breaking down the trees.
She said the hope is to have that part of the clean-up completed by Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, which will be followed by the clearing of other debris left behind.
Despite the monumental work left ahead of residents, the hope of moving forward is sustained in part by the outpouring of support shown by the communities in Mower County as well as communities from outside of the area.
One such example was Baudoin Oil Company, which has been coming in each day to fill up generators, chainsaws and more, with funding coming from outside sources.
“We are just so grateful,” Huntley said of the ongoing support. “No matter where you came from, we are grateful.”
Lammey said that it’s too early to determine total damage estimates, but indicated that the threshold of around $82,000 had been met to receive state funding in order to get Taopi’s infrastructure back on track.
But she cautioned: “We’re still in the early stages of damage assessment.”
The task of total recovery is still a long ways off, but already Huntley said the town is looking forward to brighter days.
“At the end of this, we are going to have a celebration,” Huntley said beaming. “I want people to understand that even through all of this there has been demonstrated so much hope, so much good.”
Those who wish to help can give to a relief fund at the United Farmers State Bank of Adams.
