JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — At least 30 tornadoes ripped through six mid-south and midwestern states, with Kentucky seeing the worst of it.
These tornadoes have left very little behind and residents of affected areas are heartbroken.
RELATED: Kentucky tornadoes: 12 confirmed deaths in Warren County include children
“I called back home, checked with family and friends, some areas have been hit hard,” James Boatright said.
James Boatright lives in St. Louis but is in Jacksonville for the BBQ festival at TIAA Bank Field. He said being away from home during this natural disaster has been tough.
“I’m glad I’m here but at the same time I’m worried about what’s going on back home,” he said. “I hope everyone is OK.”
Within roughly a half-hour drive of St. Louis is Edwardsville, Illinois, where a confirmed EF-3 tornado hit and destroyed an Amazon warehouse, killing at least six people.
Action News Jax spoke with Amber Lawson over the phone, who just moved there six months ago after living in Jacksonville for 11 years, and she said going through this has been a shock.
“The sirens went off, phones went off and we were told to run,” she said.
Lawson has been through hurricanes before but never a tornado. While she says her house and immediate surrounding area are fine, her husband works right near the warehouse and said she was terrified.
“I literally couldn’t get in contact with him and that’s scary,” she said. “It could’ve all been taken away, it could’ve all been taken away in a matter of seconds.”
STORY: Florida homeowners association face fine after drugged geese drown
For someone like Boatright, who heads back home on Monday, he says he’ll be trying to get in contact with family and friends to make sure everything is OK.
“I have reached out to some people and haven’t heard back from them yet,” he said. “I don’t even know what I’m going home to.”
©2021 Cox Media Group
