'It's A Disaster': Woodridge Residents Continue Clean Up Efforts After Tornado
WOODRIDGE, Ill. (CBS) -- For people living in the southwest suburbs, more damaging weather is the last thing they need.
People in Woodridge on Monday were still cleaning up after an EF3 tornado tore a path of destruction just over a week ago.
CBS 2's Brandon Merano reported Monday from the hardest hit area.
Crews hauling away tons of tree limbs as people in Woodridge work to recover from the tornado that hit over a week ago.
"It's a disaster as you can see, we've been cleaning up the best we can," said Beverly Sedlacek, whose boyfriend's home was hit by the tornado.
Nine hundred homes have been assessed for damage. The tornado causing major damage to more than 150 families homes and destroying 29.
Beverly Sedlacek is thankful her boyfriend, who has mobility issues, wasn't home when the tornado tore through his house.
"Thank god, because he wouldn't have made it out of the computer room or the bedroom," Sedlacek said. "It's just a disaster. I mean trees branches and even the sofa flew back and forth."
This week's rain is posing challenges to cleanup efforts.
Now the city and more than 30 other agencies are working to restore power for hundreds and clean up the debris the twister left behind.
"You know it's heartbreaking driving through the town," said Chris Bethel, Director of Public Works for the Village of Woodridge. "It's a tragedy on so many levels as far as the damage that has occurred."
And as this tragedy has torn so many homes apart, the community is now coming together.
"I think what you've seen with neighbors helping neighbors and the type of partnership with just people helping people has allowed the village to recover," Bethel said.
In the meantime, Sedlacek is on a recovery mission of her own.
"Mementos, clothes, his computer. We've found all the main stuff now," Sedlacek said. "It's just those mementos like pictures and bank statements stuff like that."