"We will recover": Texas community hit by tornadoes looks to rebuild
Alto, Texas — An outbreak of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms have killed at least nine people. At least 26 tornadoes were confirmed in six states from Texas to Delaware.
Two tornadoes hit Alto, a tiny town about 140 miles southeast of Dallas, where Jennifer Como was alone when her home took a direct hit. The tornado picked it up and blew it about 20 feet away.
"I was scared. It sounded like the house exploded," Como said.
Huddled under wooden stairs, she prayed with her husband on the phone, who was out of town with their kids.
"I just took in that moment and said 'God I trust you. I know you have me, I know you are going to protect me,'" Como said.
Her home was leveled, struck by the worst of at least a dozen confirmed tornadoes across the country. As the storms moved east Saturday night, they barreled through Mississippi, killing at least one person. In Hamilton, Mississippi, a tornado ripped open a storage facility and sliced roofs off homes.
Alto police chief Jeremy Jackson said nothing like this has ever happened there. He said this will take a long time for their community to recover.
"But I know Alto. We will recover," he said.
Standing in the rubble of what's left of her home, Como was positive about the future.
"I know the next chapter is going to be way better than anything we ever had," she said.
