On April 27, 2011, a devastating tornado swept through the city of Tuscaloosa, leaving fifty-two people dead in its wake. On this particular Wednesday in late April, Alabama and a few other southern states (Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee) were ravaged with a total of 199 tornadoes. The storms began shortly after midnight on April 27 with the majority of them happening from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm as supercell storms formed over Mississippi and Alabama. The violent EF4 tornado that damaged Tuscaloosa began at 4:43 pm in rural Greene County. It quickly trekked over southwest Tuscaloosa and into downtown at 5:13 pm destroying anything and everything in its path. As it continued on its journey, it hit the poor areas of Alberta …show more content…
Instantly hundreds of people became homeless. Many children faced living in homeless shelters or facing the unknown of life on the streets. The poverty stricken communities of Alberta City and Holt, both east of downtown Tuscaloosa, were hit the hardest. As the homes were destroyed, the most immediate resources that would need to be replenished would include clothes and food. Therefore, the books that were damaged or lost were left out to dry. They were not a direct necessity and as a result came last in replacement. Since these children were affected, they can also develop post-traumatic stress disorder and other symptoms. According to Mayo Clinic, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as a “mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event” (Mayo Clinic 1). They said that symptoms can include flashbacks of the event, nightmares, out of control thoughts, and anxiety. However there are treatments to this medical condition, which include anti-depressant medication and therapy. Subsequently, children can also be affected as Disasters & Youth writes that “youths living in regions that have experienced a disaster subsequently exhibit elevated rates of re-experiencing, avoidance/emotional numbing, and hyperarousal” (Furr 1). These effects on the children from post-traumatic stress disorder make it harder for them to sit still and learn. This would fit the belief that a severe natural disaster, such as the Tuscaloosa tornado, would have an immense impact on the children’s