Photo by Erin Nelson
First responders from the Vestavia Hills Fire Department, and other local departments, help residents in Eagle Point, off of AL 119 survey damage and help them gather belongings after a tornado ripped through a portion of the neighborhood in Shelby County on Thursday, March 25, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office released an update Friday morning including information from yesterday’s tornadoes in the area.
“Two large tornadoes impacted Shelby County at different points throughout the day,” the press release said. “These tornadoes caused catastrophic damage to multiple neighborhoods and businesses countywide. Resources throughout the county are working diligently to create an accurate assessment of the damage. As of this morning, the following damage has been reported to the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency for our area."
These numbers are expected to grow throughout the day:
- No reported fatalities.
- 7 people were injured and treated.
- In Northern Shelby County along the U.S. 280 and Highway 41 corridors, 57 homes have been destroyed or heavily damaged, and 279 homes have either moderate or light damage.
- AL-119 (Cahaba Valley Road) is currently closed in both directions between Caldwell Mill Road and Cahaba Valley Trace (CR-14). Please use alternate routes to avoid this area while crews work to clear debris and power lines. This roadway is expected to be closed most of the day.
- Between 30 to 50 homes have been damaged in the Pelham area.
- At least 12 homes have been damaged in the Helena area.
- Homes have also been damaged or destroyed in the Calera and Columbiana areas. There is currently no assessment data for these areas.
Multiple donation centers have been established throughout the county. Please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ShelbyCounty.Sheriff for these locations. The Sheriff’s Office social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor will be updated throughout the day with information on road closures, donation locations, and other relevant information.
“These storms have caused a tremendous amount of property damage in Shelby County and around the entire State of Alabama,” said Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego. “We are thankful that we have no reported fatalities in our county at the moment, and we pray that number does not change. My heart goes out to all of those affected by this natural disaster, and I want everyone to know that our office is working around the clock with other agencies and volunteers to assist with damage control, recovery, and the protection of damaged areas.”
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is requesting that citizens avoid the recovery areas so that work crews and emergency workers can easily access these areas without having to manage heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
For those who would like to help, consider donating supplies to the verified collection locations posted on the sheriff’s office social media pages instead of going to disaster areas in person, unless you are specifically called on by a homeowner for aid. Local churches and volunteer organizations are working to create lists of volunteers that may be used for coordinated efforts in the future.
The sheriff's office has verified community resources and donation drop off locations for the Northern Shelby County area available on their social media page at facebook.com/ShelbyCounty.Sheriff.
If you or someone you know has been affected by these storms and is in need of temporary housing, please contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
