Crews in Alabama Town Continue Tornado Cleanup

December 13, 2011

Work crews in Auburn, Opelika and Lee County, Ala., are continuing to clear debris from a November tornado.

In Auburn, city engineer Jeff Ramsey said city crews have collected about 5,300 cubic yards of debris so far. He estimates that the amount represents about 75 percent of the storm debris in Auburn.

Ramsey tells the Opelika-Auburn News that 958 trees were downed and 237 structures damaged during the storm. He said the debris will eventually be ground and hauled away.

The Nov. 16 tornado with winds of more than 100 mph left a 27-mile track of damaged homes and snapped trees across Lee County.

Ramsey said the tornado is estimated to have caused $4.2 million in damage in Auburn alone.