People in Perry come together after extensive storm damage
PERRY, Okla. (KFOR) - Hundreds of residents in Perry woke up to no power and extensive damage throughout their city on Wednesday due to the storms.
"I have never been in a tornado but this sure seemed like one," said Mike Byers. "It was just a lot of noise and when I stepped outside, that was already off the patio."
Byers' chimney was blown over and broken. His patio roof had been ripped off and wooden stakes that were on it were now sticking out of his neighbor's roof.
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"It was just heavy and extreme winds that lasted 12 to 15 minutes," said Byers. "Yeah, that had blown over into his house. We went over and picked up our patio from his home, and cleaned it up. But then we noticed our tree was just gone."
Perry saw some of the worst of the storm, with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reporting that several semi-trucks and other vehicles had completely been blown over on the highway.
When News 4 arrived Wednesday morning, there were dozens of vehicles with trailers that had tree limbs and debris.
"It's neighbor helping neighbor around here," said Gary Jackson. His house saw some of the worst of the damage. His tree completely crushed his carport in his driveway, it tore up his wooden shed, and he said it totaled the car underneath it.
"Oh it's totaled, the truck though, didn't have damage," said Gary.
While News 4 was shooting video, heavy machinery made its way onto his lawn to help get the tree and several branches off his carport.
Just about every home had some sort of damage, big or small.
Parts of the city were without power for a large part of the day, but city workers came in quick to help out and got it fixed rather quickly.
All around Perry, people were asking if anyone needed help, and the community came together quickly.
"These guys are P.J.'s Plumbing," said Tyson with his wife Melanie. The tree in their front yard was massive and came within inches of destroying their home.
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They said that workers from the plumbing store came by and just started cutting the tree and getting rid of the limbs.
"Yeah they just called and said, it looks like y'all need help," said Tyson.
The city announced that the local YMCA had opened up their building for shelter for anyone who didn't have power or just needed somewhere to go.
The damage done could have been much worse but knowing that it was just wind, terrified many residents.
"I've lived here since 1995 and I've never seen something like this," said Gary.