MEMPHIS, Tenn. — With most of the Mid-South bracing for severe weather Wednesday night, one city, in particular, is holding its breath because it was not too long ago they were cleaning up from the last storm.
It was the beginning of last April when storms and tornados tore through parts of Tipton County, specifically Covington. Now, they are saying these warnings hit a little too close to home.
“It looked like somebody had dropped a bomb in this area,” said Covington resident Anita Brown.
Tipton County residents remember 13 months ago when a tornado ripped through their Covington neighborhoods, destroying everything in sight.
“I was scared to come out when it stopped, but my neighbor came over and got me. She walked through the windows because they were all out,” said resident Annie Shahan.
Empty lots and piles of rubble stand as haunting reminders of what happened that night. They now have to prepare for the potential of it happening again.
“Once you go through that, it’s kind of like you’re always on alert from here on out,” said Brown.
The midsouth spent much of the afternoon today in a tornado warning, with the bulk of the storm expected tonight.
Covington Police Chief Donna Turner says she has been working with other city leaders to prepare.
“The EMA director has reached out and met with us, we’ve met with our city officials and everybody is just on standby, but certainly we are prepared for whatever it is. And we’re getting it out on social media for people to just be weather aware and just be safe,” she said.
Turner says they have learned from last year and are ready for whatever tonight may bring. People we spoke with say they are preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best.
“There’s really nothing much you can do but have everything ready you might need and think about where you can go in the house. It’s about all you can do,” said Shahan.
“God is in control of it all. The same way he brought us through, he’ll bring us through again,” said Brown.
Make sure to stay with WREG and download the WREG Weather app for all the latest on what’s happening in the sky.
