evilrouters.net

by now everyone has, i’m sure, heard about the deadly tornadoes that swept through the southeast united states earlier this week. i’ve seen the continuing media coverage over the last several days and was just amazed. friday afternoon at work, i decided that i was going to head to tennessee after work and help out.

below are pictures that i took while i was there. i apologize for the quality; they were taken with the camera phone built into my blackberry. i did not bring along a “real” digital camera with me.

the photos do nothing to convey the extent of the damage in lafayette, tennessee. without seeing it firsthand, it is impossible to imagine what this small community has had to endure. at last count, there were a total of 14 deaths in lafayette alone. tennessee state troopers are restricting access to the hardest hit areas — which are truly devastated. leveled. a curfew from 6pm to 6am has been instituted due to rampant looting.

trees everywhere are down. one area in particular, as i explained to someone else, “looks like someone took a lawn mower and just mowed down the trees”.

by 7am, the town was packed. people were everywhere, helping each other out. processions of trucks could be seen coming into town, loaded down with heavy equipment to help clear out the debris. it was astonishing to witness so many people (many who were not from the area) coming together unselfishly to help out the folks in lafayette, tennessee.

it was truly an amazing, heartwarming scene. i wish the best for the people affected by these tragedies. godspeed, lafayette.