Early Sunday morning, an EF-1 tornado struck Hale County, Alabama, damaging over 30 homes and completely destroying eight, according to the Hale County Emergency Management Agency. The National Weather Service confirmed that the tornado left a 15-mile path of destruction.

Two Hale County residents are lucky to be alive after the storm. CBS 42 reported that James Williams and his wife were watching television when the tornado struck, tearing their home apart in an instant.

“By looking at it, it’s hard to say somebody survived it, but we got through it, no scratches,” Williams said, pointing to the wreckage of his home.

He recalled the terrifying moment the tornado lifted their home off of the ground.

“We felt the trailer rock like it was getting picked up off the blocks, and I hit the floor. We heard everything just blowing away, and it started to rain. I knew the roof was gone. I just lay there and prayed until I knew it was over with.”

Hale County EMA Director Russell Weeden confirmed that the tornado was on the ground for 15 miles, knocking down numerous power lines and trees. He praised the local response efforts.

“We had a great turnout from volunteers, volunteer fire departments, and a lot of farmers lived in this area, so they brought all their equipment and whatnot, so we had all the roads open by six this morning.”

Hale County EMA estimates it will take two to three days to restore power to the affected areas. Emergency crews are working with the Red Cross and other state resources to assist those displaced by the storm.

Sherri Blevins is a writer for Mountain Valley News and a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].