4 months ago
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Weeks ago, Juanita Mitchell had a creek behind her home, now she has a raging river in her front and backyards.
"We got our clothes and things out, everything else we had to sit on higher ground and get out of the house as quick as possible," says Mitchell.
Mitchell had no idea water was rushing into her Camden home until the fire department woke her up at 6 a.m.
"My husband and I and our four children were inside asleep," says Mitchell.
A tornado tore part of the gym roof off at Southern Arkansas University Tech in East Camden. Yet, Chancellor Corbert Lampkin is most saddened by the Fire Training Academy where five out of six buildings are destroyed.
"As you see our apparatus that housed our three fire trucks collapsed except for one wall," says Lampkin.
As students and staff hid in the bathroom for shelter, the wind yanked off the roof of several classrooms. The tornado was so powerful, it pushed over a freight train. Fortunately, no reported injuries in the county. Mitchell is thankful for that.
"As long as my family and I are out and safe, I'm fine. The other things can be replaced. I just need to find out where we are going to stay today," says Mitchell.
Southern Arkansas University Tech installed an emergency weather siren six weeks ago. This was the first time it had to use it and the chancellor believes it helped saved lives.
