Today is 24th Anniversary of EF-4 Tornado

12:50pm on Saturday, December 16, 2000, is a time and date burned into the collective memory of most Tuscaloosa residents. It is the exact time and date a deadly and devastating EF-4 tornado touched down and began a 30-mile-long track across South Tuscaloosa.

11 people died that day, ranging in age from 16 to 84. with 125 injured, 243 homes were damaged or destroyed. It was the worst and most power December tornado disaster ever in Alabama.

Events began when weather radar detected a debris field associated with a warned system near Meridian, MS. It moved into Alabama on a direct line toward Tuscaloosa County. Storm spotters sighted the twister just above the ground in Fosters. Sirens were sounded and everyone braced for the inevitable.

ABC3340's tower camera picked up the tornado as it moved on the ground to the northeast toward Taylorville. For 38 minutes the storm chewed up businesses, neighborhoods and vehicles on roadways.

Despite all the advance warning, thousands were caught off-guard, especially in Bear Creek Trailer Park where nine of the 11 died. It was from that trailer park that the iconic image of that disaster occurred. An award-winning photograph taken by then Tuscaloosa News Photographer Michael Palmer depicted Mike Harris carrying an unconscious 6-year-ol Whitney Crowder from the rubble.

Besides Bear Creek Trailer Park, Hillcrest Meadows and Hinton Place suffered significant damage, vehicles traveling on 69south were sucked into the storm killing some of their occupants.

The loss of life would probably have been greater if construction work on the future Winn Dixie store on 69 South had not been cancelled that day and workers told to stay home. The incomplete strip shopping center was wrecked by the twister.

A Federal Disaster Declaration was issued, property was repaired and rebuilt but the impacts on lives remain to this day, 24 years later.